Distorted Image
by StarChild2
Summary: They were so similar yet so different, like distorted images of each other. Bitter enemies since youth, Tristan and Logan have found their rivalry brought to a brand new level with the arrival of Rory Gilmore.
1. Prologue

Distorted Image 

They were mirror reflections of each other. So similar and yet so different. A distorted image of the other. They should have been natural friends, but instead they were bitter enemies since youth. As the years progressed, Tristan DuGray and Logan Huntzberger became each other's ultimate rivals. Both born from power and wealth, the world was their battlefield and their peers were their pawns. And with the arrival of Rory Gilmore, their heated competition has turned into a deadly war for love.

Prologue 

"What the hell's your problem Mary?" Tristan asked while running a hand through his tousled blond hair in frustration.

"You!" Rory cried. "It's your womanizing, arrogant…"

"They're at it again…" Mark Lawrence announced in a singsong tone to his raven-haired friend. The entire camp stopped to see what the sudden outburst was, but immediately went on with their business at the sight of the familiar pair bickering. Ryan Mason rolled his eyes at the two figures standing not three feet away from them.

"Seriously, it's sophomore year now. You'd think this would get old."

"Care to place a bet?" Mark asked with a smirk. "Fifty bucks says that our dear friend Tristan wins this round."

"Nah, my money is on Gilmore." The bickering has escalated into an all out shouting match by now.

"You know Ryan, this a true phenomenon." Mark began after a long pause. "Tristan scores like at least four times a week, each time with a different gorgeous woman I might add, and yet he can't get this one feisty brunette to go out with him. How long has he been chasing after her now? Since freshman year?"

"Longer than that," Ryan replied. "I heard he's been after her even before he went to military school."

"How sad…" Mark shook his head. "I suppose he's just jinxed with her."

"Well, you can't say that the fault lays with him completely." Ryan defended their dear friend with a shrug. "Remember who her brother is and how much he hates Tristan?"

"True…" Mark replied. "So you think this year his fortunes will turn?"

"... and furthermore," Rory shouted, "I can't believe you sneaked into the Dean of Admissions' office in the middle of the night! That's just like you, so irresponsible! You know this can get you expelled right? It can-"

Suddenly, Tristan grabbed the brunette and firmly pressed his lips to hers. The sudden silence immediately attracted the attention of the entire camp again and shock swept through the crowd at the astonishing sight. After a silent minute, the rigid figure of Rory Gilmore responded to the passionate ministrations of Tristan DuGray.

"Looks like his fortunes just did." Ryan commented with a smirk. "Who do you reckon won?"

"Let's call this a draw." Mark answered after a pause. The two were now in a heated embrace and making out.

"How do you reckon Hayden will take this?" Ryan asked with a frown.

"Very badly," Mark replied, "but nothing that our reigning playboy of Harvard won't be able to handle. Besides, now that older brother is out of law school, there's not much he can do here anymore."

"Speaking of titles, now that our dear friend has got the girl and will likely be shackled in a relationship, do you reckon that I will get the title of reigning playboy?" Ryan asked hopefully.

And so went on another event of the Crimson Challenge Brigade. Except this time, the newly appointed leader truly lived up to the motto of _Carpe Diem. _


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One 

He wondered what the point of all this was. The wild parties, the flashy cars and the easy women. His life was a huge drunken debauchery and he failed to see any point in it but to piss of his dear old dad. Yet at the end of the day, he was right back to where he started: in his father's control.

Since the day he was born, his fate as the Huntzberger heir was sealed. His every decision was already made for him and his every action was monitored. He felt like a robot marching to a pre-recorded tune. Family honor and responsibility are two words that have been drilled into him since he could barely walk. Instead of his high birth opening doors, every door has been shut in his face but one. And he is being firmly pushed through the golden frames of that one door to a place he did not want to be.

Being opinionated by nature, he thus rebelled the only way he could. He went wild. Having to squeeze a lifetime of experience before his college graduation, he lived every moment to its fullest. He wanted some memories of freedom and exhilaration before he was saddled with a high power job and a smiling trophy wife. Before he was forced into a cold marriage similar to that of his parents.

And thus since the beginning of high school, his life has settled into a routine. He would wake up with a hangover, go to class to keep up appearances, go to at least two parties and hit every bar on the road in between and end up with a new girl in bed. Once he started college, he even stopped keeping up appearances and his entire time was dedicated to seeking pleasure.

However, instead of feeling happy with his carefree ways, he has reached a state of contentment. He supposed that this was the closest to happiness he was ever going to feel in his life.

"Logan…." The blonde beside him purred seductively. He sighed. Oh how he hated these awkward confrontations on the morning after. This is why he often made it a point to leave well before his bed partner woke up.

"Hey babe," Logan greeted in his usual charming way before getting up. Hangovers no longer affected him that much. He began to gather his scattered clothes and dress methodically.

"Where are you going?" The blonde pouted.

"Back to my apartment to change. I have an early morning flight that I can't miss."

"When can I see you again?" She asked while playing with her hair. Logan hated that hopeful look in her eyes. That look that wanted commitment but knew better. Logan Huntzberger, the reigning playboy of Yale, did not do commitment. He ran the other way.

"I'll give you a call." He replied after putting on his shirt and heading out the door. "Bye Vanessa."

"Its Veronica!"

"Right, just checking."

(Break)

"Where've you been mate?" Finn called from his doorway as Logan closed the door to their apartment.

"Overslept." Logan replied while pulling off his shirt.

"Well hurry up, the jet leaves in an hour." Colin demanded from the couch.

"Right, wouldn't want to disappoint dear old dad by missing the flight." Logan responded dryly as he headed for the shower.

"It's so bloody early!" Finn groaned. "Damit Logan, the next time your parents decide to hold a party, tell them to do it closer to Hartford! This way, I wouldn't have to get up so bloody early to get on a plane to Florida."

"I'll make sure to mention it during our next family discussion around the dinner table." Logan remarked sarcastically before closing the door to the bathroom.

"I need a shot" Finn whined.

"Not till we get on the plane" Colin chastened.

(Break)

"Tell me again why I'm here?" Finn asked for the umpteenth time while taking another sip of his champagne.

"Because your parents demanded your presence at the annual Huntzberger Christmas Ball." Colin answered.

"Oh right. So…when does the sub-party start?"

"Not till a couple hours later." Logan replied. "First, I have to greet the parents and let them parade me around for a while. Probably take some press photos too."

"Logan!"

"Shit, was that my dad?" Logan asked in panic while ducking his head quickly behind Finn. Both Colin and Finn nodded. "I wasn't ready to face him so soon! Shit! Is it too late for me to hide?"

"Yep, he's heading our way now" Colin answered cheerfully. "Well, as much fun as standing around and making awkward conversation with Mitchum Huntzberger is, we're going to go now."

"Traitors…" Logan muttered, glaring at his two best friends.

"We'll be at the bar," Finn added with a smirk before walking off with Colin. Logan sighed and prepared himself for the inevitable confrontation.

"You're late!" Mitchum greeted his only son with a frown.

"I'm sorry dad, but traffic was bad." Logan answered in monotone. Mitchum narrowed his eyes.

"Don't lie to me boy. I know you hit every bar between here and the airport." Mitchum scolded quietly. "My office, now!" Logan sighed and followed his father obediently while wondering which one of his stunts the old man has caught wind of now.

The Huntzberger Estate in Florida was a considerably large property and the long trek to the other side of the mansion allowed Logan time to formulate a plan of defense. Of course, when it came to Mitchum Huntzberger, no defense was good enough. Soon, the voyage came to an end and Mitchum let Logan into his study.

"Taking a joy ride in a professor's car!" Mitchum burst without further ceremony as soon as he shut the door. Logan sighed. Oh yeah, that stunt. "What the hell were you thinking Logan?"

"I brought it back safe and sound dad." Logan tried to argue. "It was even parked in the exact same spot."

"But you still got caught!"

Logan did not reply. He knew better than to mention that it was only because Finn left his wallet in the backseat. His father was not Finn and Colin's biggest fan. In fact, the only thing that prevented him from forbidding Logan's friendship with them was that both Finn and Colin also came from prestigious families.

"You're lucky that Yale was willing to overlook this with the amount of money I donated this year. I'm tired of pulling you out of shit Logan! My lawyers are tired, the authorities are tired, and most of all, I'm tired! It's time you shaped up son! I thought that letting you take a year off would calm you down, but instead it just riled you up more! Not only did you waste all your free time partying, you managed to sink a yacht in the process! And I'm hearing from your professors that you're still not attending class!"

"But I've always brought home good grades." Logan interjected. "Give me a break dad, I have a 3.9 GPA!"

"That's not the point!" Mitchum countered, his face turning red. Logan decided to keep his mouth shut for the rest of the conversation. He knew better than to interrupt his father on one of his rants. "The point is that you're not living up to your potential Logan! You're in your junior year at Yale and you continue to make a mockery out of your life and the family name! Take some responsibility already!"

"From now on, I'm going to start reining you in harder. You're starting a new semester in January and I'll expect you to go to every class and score in the top 5 percentile on your finals. If these conditions aren't met and if you decide to fuck up again, I will cut you off Logan!"

"Fine" Logan replied with gritted teeth at the old purse strings threat. "Is there anything else dad or can I go and greet mom now?"

"Yes, you also need to find a suitable girl Logan." Mitchum stated bluntly. Logan narrowed his eyes. "Your present choices are disastrous. The last girl you brought to a party could barely keep up with a conversation." Logan tried to think back to the girl his father was talking about, but came up with a blank. There were just so damn many that he kept loosing track.

"She was good at other things." Logan replied vaguely. It was probably true.

"No doubt," Mitchum snorted. "But the fact remains that you need to find a suitable girl that can potentially live up to the Huntzberger name. Now, your mother has several suitable young ladies she wanted to introduce you to at this party, so I suggest you don't disappear anytime soon."

"Dad," Logan began in a clear and even voice while barely controlling his rapidly growing anger. "I will live up to the conditions you set about school, but I absolutely refuse to marry a girl that you and mother pick out for me! I will find a girlfriend on my own terms and on my own time. When I'm ready to commit, I will find someone without your help!"

"Because your choices have been so great up to now." Mitchum replied dryly, but before he could continue, the door burst open.

"Mitchum, Christopher Hayden is here." Shira Huntzberger announced. "He's looking for you."

"I suppose he's here with his family?" asked Mitchum while walking towards the door.

"No, only his son." Shira replied, holding the door open for him.

"Ah, Miles, a fine boy." Mitchum nodded. "Come along Logan, you should meet the Haydens. They are a powerful family in the judiciary and a lot of people look up to them, including the current governor of Florida, who is also here by the way. It's time you got a proper handling on society."

Logan sighed for the umpteenth time that night and obediently followed his parents to be put on display. He could really use some alcohol about now.

"Congratulations on your nomination to the supreme court!" Mitchum spoke while shaking Christopher Hayden's hand. "I see that you're following in your late father's footsteps."

"Thank you Mitchum." Christopher replied. "I plan on doing my best. Congratulations on acquiring yet another newspaper. I heard this one has a lot of potential. When are you expecting a return on investment?"

The man was a tall blonde with a distinct manner that spoke of intelligence and good breeding. In his early forties, Christopher Hayden still retained his good looks and natural command for respect. Logan got the immediate impression that this man was not someone to trifle with.

"Oh, I'd give it half a year." Mitchum answered flippantly. "You remember my wife Shira?"

"Of course. Another successful ball you've managed Shira." Christopher complimented with a charming smile while placing a kiss on her hand. "You're quiet amazing at these things." Shira blushed prettily.

"Oh, you're still quite the charmer Christopher." She laughed.

"And this is our son Logan." Mitchum continued.

"Nice to meet you sir." Logan greeted with a plastered smile while obediently shaking the man's hand.

"I hear you're at Yale." Christopher remarked. "How are your studies coming along?"

"It's a lot of work" Logan replied politely.

"Yes, so I keep hearing from my son. He just graduated from Harvard Law School. Miles!" Christopher called.

Suddenly, a dark brunette approached the group. The first thing that everyone notices about the young man are his piercing blue eyes. Eyes that spoke of a cunning intelligence and a ruthless power. He had a commanding air about him that drew people's attention. It was the same imposing presence that others often accused Logan of having. However, instead of forming an immediate connection with the brunette, Logan felt weary of him.

"Hello, Mr. Huntzberger, Mrs. Huntzberger." Miles Hayden shook Mitchum's hand before bending to kiss Shira's. "A fine ball this evening."

"I keep telling you to call me Mitchum, Miles." Mitchum greeted warmly. "We don't stand on formalities here." Logan inwardly snorted at the blatant lie. If nothing else, his family was based upon formalities. "Have you met Logan?"

"No, I haven't had the pleasure yet." Miles replied with a charming smile before extending his hand to Logan. "I'm Miles."

"Logan." He replied while shaking the hand of the man that his father clearly wished him to be. A member of the new generation has to have impossible standards of perfection to gain Mitchum Huntzberger's approval and Miles Hayden seems to be one of the few that has achieved this impossibility. However, Logan got the distinct feeling that there was a lot more to Miles than what appeared on the surface.

"Now, where is your darling daughter Christopher?" Shira asked. "I haven't seen her since her since her eighteenth birthday party."

"I regret to inform you that Lorelai could not make it today." Christopher immediately answered in an apologetic tone. "Something came up at the last minute. She sends her greetings and sincerest apologies."

"Oh, I hope everything is okay." Shira answered, barely able to contain the disappointment in her tone. "I had hoped for Logan to meet her."

Suddenly, Logan felt relieved that the Hayden heiress was a no show. He could just see the matchmaking scheme in his mother's head. And his father wouldn't object too much at having a Hayden as a daughter in law from the way he talked about the family. But the last thing Logan needed was a spoiled debutante hanging off his arm.

"Well, Mitchum and I were discussing how our family could vacation together this summer while we were golfing last Sunday," Christopher recounted. "I'm sure they could meet then."

"Oh my, that's a wonderful idea!" Shira exclaimed in delight. Oh shit, the matchmaking scheme has just intensified. Logan groaned inwardly. He figured that there was no way his parents would let him weasel out of this if it did happen. Looks like his summer plans have just been shot to hell. Logan sincerely hoped that Honor would come too, despite her soon to be married status.

"Yeah, maybe Logan can talk some sense into her about her current relationship with that hooligan." Miles remarked.

"Oh really Miles, he's not that bad." Christopher began, but before he could continue, he was bombarded with a hearty congratulation from the senior senator of California.

Soon the group around them swelled and Logan felt it was the prime time to make his escape. Inconspicuously slipping out of the group of influential men in a heated discussion about the new bill being introduced while their trophy wives kissed each other on the cheek, Logan headed to the bar.

"What's going on guys?" He greeted Colin and Finn who were whispering to each other secretively.

"Hey Logan," Finn answered with a smirk. "You'll never guess who we ran into, mate."

"Who?" Logan asked in intrigue.

"Mark Lawrence. He just issued us a challenge from the Crimson Challenge Brigade." Finn announced giddily. "A scavenger hunt in Mexico City during spring break!"

"Really…" Logan smirked. "This is quite unprecedented. The societies from different schools don't usually mix."

"I think this is more of a personal challenge issued to you, Logan." Colin commented with a frown. "Guess who their new leader is." Logan furrowed his brow in confusion while Finn squirmed, unable to take the suspense.

"It's Tristan DuGray!" The Australian shouted after barely five seconds. Logan's eyes immediately narrowed and hatred settled over his features.

"Then we will accept this challenge." Logan stated firmly. "And we will kick their ass to hell."

"Well, it looks like you just volunteered to be our temporary leader." Colin remarked. "We need someone to organize this whole thing and make sure the funding is on track."

"I'll have to be elected by the group." Logan frowned.

"Oh please, " Finn interjected, " It's not like you'll have trouble being elected. You're practically the unofficial leader anyway…"


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two 

"So how'd you get out of going to that ball tonight?" Lorelei asked conversationally as she popped another starburst into her mouth.

"I told them that as a Gilmore, I wanted to and was obligated to spend Christmas with the Gilmores." Rory answered while munching on chips. "It was non-negotiable. "

The mother and daughter were sprawled on the living room couch. Junk food littered the floor around them and an old movie was playing on the TV set. It was the usual Friday night tradition at the Gilmore house.

"Wow, the pupil has surpassed the master." Lorelei complimented, quite impressed. "I didn't know you had it in you kid. That sounded firm."

"Well, maybe I said it slightly nicer, but I was clear in my message." Rory quickly added. Lorelei looked at her with an arched brow.

"Go on and ruin my moment of being a proud mother." Lorelei sighed in exasperation. "So what did you promise them in return kiddo?"

"What makes you think that I had to promise them anything in return for spending time with my mother and grandparents?" Rory asked defensively. Lorelei gave her the "yeah right" look.

"Because they are the Haydens, even more evil than Emily Gilmore herself, and they will make you feel guilty on any account." Lorelei stated flippantly. "So did you have to sell your soul for our holiday together?"

"No," Rory gave up with a sigh. "Just had to promise them a month of my summer break."

"Harsh kid. Want me to help you get out of it?" Lorelei volunteered with a hopeful expression.

"No," Rory replied meekly. "They're my family too and I should take the effort to spend some time with them. They have missed most of my life and are really trying to make up for it. The least I can do is meet them halfway."

"Do you regret it?" Lorelei asked, turning serious all of a sudden. "Do you regret not being raised in society? Be honest, Rory."

"No mom," Rory assured with a smile. "I understand why you took me away from that. You wanted me to be my own person instead of living up to a model. I sort of wish that I had grown up with my dad and brother, but if it meant compromising who I am, then I don't regret it one bit. Now, I don't mind getting to know them, but I will refuse to become anything I don't want to be."

"Good." Lorelei replied with an encouraging smile. "Always remember that you have choices. Don't ever let anyone take that away from you."

"I know mom."

"And if you're unhappy kid, then things need to change, no matter what. It's why I divorced Chris."

"It must've been hard" Rory commented.

"You bet it was. I suppose I had gone about it all wrong though." Lorelei admitted with a sigh. "I should have sat down and done it properly with Chris, but I just took off one day with you and mailed him the divorce papers two weeks after. There was a huge battle between our lawyers, but what confused them the most was that I didn't ask for a single penny as settlement."

"Why didn't you? It must've been extremely difficult to raise a child on your own. You didn't even go to grandma and grandpa. You just disappeared from their world entirely. They must've been worried sick."

"I didn't want to owe them anything." Lorelei replied with a shrug. "I knew that if I went back to my parents, I would have been sucked back into their world and the marriage. I wanted to break it out on my own, even if I had to start as a maid in an inn while raising a baby."

"Do you regret going back to grandma and grandpa for Chilton?" Rory asked with worry. "If it weren't for that, you still wouldn't have any contact with the world you hate. You wouldn't have to fight with dad over my time and share awkward dinners with grandma and grandpa."

"Of course not kid." Lorelei assured. "You had big dreams Rory, and if it meant going to an expensive prep school to achieve them, then I was willing to support you any way I could. Besides, it wasn't right of me to never let you meet your family. I was just scared that I'd lose you to them."

"Oh mom, you could never lose me," Rory whispered before launching herself across the couch to hug her mother.

"I'm glad to hear it" Lorelei replied as she squeezed her daughter tightly. "Because I couldn't bear it."

"Mom," Rory whispered. "Why did you chose me over Miles?" Lorelei paused in thought.

"Because I knew from the moment you were born, that you were mine more than Chris'" Lorelei answered after a pause. "Even as a child, Miles fit into society perfectly. He thrived on it and I knew I would be depriving him of his right if I took him away. He would resent it. I suppose it had something to do with him being the Hayden heir. He was perfect for the role. You, on the other hand, from the minute your innocent big blue eyes looked at me, I knew you would be crushed by the role. You would hate the constant need for appearance just as much as me. I just had a feeling you wouldn't want that kind of life. Call it mother's intuition."

"You were right mom. I don't want that." Rory confirmed. "And from the first time I met Miles, I knew he loved his position."

"I thought so. Does he resent me for not picking him?" Lorelei asked with uncertainty.

"No, if he does, he never mentioned it."

"I hate his polite impersonal mannerism towards me," Lorelei sighed. "But I suppose it's something I have to accept for choosing the path I took. He seems really overprotective of you though."

"Yeah," Rory agreed. "At first it was nice and all to have an older brother looking out for me, but after a while, it just got stifling."

"Give him some credit. He's just getting used to being an older sibling." Lorelei laughed.

"I know, but now that we're not going to the same school, things have been a lot better. I can finally kiss a boy without him looming over me in anger."

"And how is Bible Boy?" Lorelei asked in interest, keenly waiting for gossip. The serious mood had dissipated.

"You know, what happened to the no talking during a movie rule?" Rory asked belatedly.

"It had to be amended since my little girl went off to university." Lorelei answered easily. "Now be a good girl and tell mother all about your new boy toy."

"Well, we've been going out for only two months," Rory began. "But everything is going unbelievably great. I keep waiting for the bottom to fall out in this amazing relationship."

"Relax kiddo. You two were meant for each other." Lorelei assured flippantly. "Ever since high school, you've had this unconscious attraction towards him."

"How did you know?" Rory asked in surprise. "I only figured that out after we started dating."

"Please, I'm a mother, not blind." Lorelei answered with an eye roll. "Everyday you'd come home and bitch about him. It's so obvious you liked him, I just chose not to rile you up by pointing it out."

"Really?" Rory questioned skeptically.

"No, I also thought he would be a bad influence on my little girl, so I chose not to push you into realizing your feelings for him. But since he's still calling you that cute little nickname at Harvard and hitting on you, I'm thinking he really does like you a lot too."

"It was not cute when he called me Mary at Chilton!" Rory stated indignantly. "It was highly annoying."

"But you like it now." Lorelei stated with a smirk.

"Yes, but now we're going out. That's different." Lorelei regarded her with a raised eyebrow.

"Sure…so how is he as a boyfriend?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, I wasn't so sure that this would work in the beginning." Rory admitted. "I mean, we're so different and he's a player. I wasn't sure that he could even commit to a single relationship. And he has annoyed me since high school, so I wasn't sure if I could even get used to not arguing with him."

"Then what made you change your mind?"

"Well…he's just so sweet. He's romantic and considerate and he never pushes for things I'm not ready for." Rory recounted with a wishful smile, her eyes glazing over. "We still argue, but it's always playful bantering that keeps me on my toes. He would bring me coffee every morning and walk me to my classes. When we go out, he would always make it clear to all his previous dates that he was with me."

"Have you slept with him?" Lorelei asked bluntly. Rory turned red immediately.

"N-no, not yet."

"But you are thinking about it?" Lorelei pushed.

"Well, yeah." Rory admitted uncomfortably. As close as she was to her mother, there were still some things she was uncomfortable discussing with her. And sex talk of any kind was definitely at the top of her list.

"Just make sure to do it safely." She warned. Rory looked at her in surprise. Her mother was rather too accepting of this fact.

"That's it?"

"You're twenty years old Rory," Lorelei began with a sigh. "I can't tell you not to sleep with your boyfriend. Believe me, my mother tried that once. I ended up pregnant at sixteen. All I want is for you to be safe and not have to go through an unplanned pregnancy. If you want, I could get you a prescription for birth control."

"N-no, I'll go get them myself, mom." Rory replied with gratitude, albeit a little uncomfortable. "But thanks." Despite their close relationship, Rory was still baffled at her mother's large capacity for understanding.

"No problem. Does Tristan know you're a virgin?"

"Yes, we talked about this." Rory answered with certainty. "We talked about this and he's willing to wait until I'm ready."

"Wow, he is an amazing boy toy." Lorelei remarked with a whistle. "Where can I get one of those?"

"Remember Luke mom?"

"Oh you're no fun!" Lorelei pouted.

"It wouldn't work anyway mom," Rory commented. "Grandma and grandpa like him."

"Oh, I take that back!" Lorelei immediately shouted. "I don't like him! I cannot like the same person my parents like. It's blasphemy!"

"Don't worry mom, I won't tell anyone."

"How'd they get wind of this relationship anyway? I have been going out with Luke for five months now and they have yet to find out, even with Friday night dinners, which has become a total snooze fest since you left, by the way, you traitor."

"Grandpa played golf with Tristan's grandfather last Sunday and Tristan may have mention our relationship to his grandfather. You know how fast news travels in Hartford."

"So has my mother requested him for Friday night dinner yet?" Lorelei asked with interest.

"Actually, she has." Rory replied. "She called me last week at school to say how much she approved of our relationship and asked if Tristan's going to come for dinner since we're both coming back to Hartford. He'll be joining us next week."

"And you just tell me this now, you evil child?" Lorelei cried in mock shock. "I thought we were close! I went through thirty one hours of labor with you…"

It was a typical night at the Gilmore residence.

(Break)

For the first time in his twenty years of existence, Tristan DuGray was happy. Truly, genuinely happy without the aid of alcohol or drugs, unless you count Rory Gilmore as a drug. And perhaps for him she was because every time he saw her, he became more addicted. Her smiles, her jokes, her hugs, her kisses, they all drove him wild. Just being with her made him soar and he wasn't even trying to sound sappy.

However, Tristan kept holding his breath for the other shoe to drop. In his young life, very rarely has a good thing lasted. From his early childhood he had memories of love and warmness, but that came to a crashing halt with the death of his mother. With the love of his life gone, Michael DuGray withdrew from everyone, especially from the son that reminded him so much of his dead wife, and poured his entire focus into work. Thus the DuGray fairy tale burned into ashes to be carried by the wind and the once warm home became a cold palace maintained by indifferent servants. At the tender age of four, Tristan's upbringing was left to a nanny and later, boarding schools.

Unlimited wealth and parental neglect became constant variables and soon the smart child learned to fend for himself. The product was an overindulged young man disguising his severe emotional handicap with a debonair charm. With money being the regular substitute for affections, soon Tristan sole purpose in life became to attract his father's attention. Reckless behavior and school suspensions swelled his records, but Michael DuGray indulged his heir's whims and sent his secretary, and on certain occasions, his lawyers, to clean up. After all, DuGray Finance wasn't going to run itself.

And thus, a disappointed heir entered high school with no goals in life. Used to getting everything he wanted either through money or charm, Tristan no longer felt the need to work. It's not like his father would even notice. He was good looking, rich, and extremely bored with his life at the tender age of fifteen. Parties, cars and girls no longer brought any thrill to him, they were just events that kept him relatively amused. That is until she came.

Rory Gilmore was at first, simply an enigma. She was pretty, smart and incredibly innocent. She was different. Tristan was intrigued with the novelty, so he asked her out.

And was immediately shot down.

He, the king of Chilton, was shot down! Tristan DuGray was turned down by a girl! Who the hell did she think she was? He became determined to push her off her high horse. He wanted to break her and make her just like every other girl at Chilton, shallow and easy. But he failed.

Rory Gilmore had just ventured into the unknown territory called upper society. Armed with her mother's warnings about the perils of the glittering world, Rory was adamant about not falling into its traps. Her one goal was to get into Harvard and Chilton was just a stepping-stone. The constant badgering and amorous advances of the blond playboy did little to deter her. Tristan became frustrated yet impressed.

He could never pinpoint the exact instance when his feelings for Rory became genuine. All he knows is that after a year of annoying her and hitting on her, he came to like her. The telling moment was when he walked into class on the first day of junior year and his eyes immediately sought out the brunette. When the sparkling blue orbs met his, realization dawned on him. He didn't even recall going through a period of denial. How odd.

That year, he pursued her with a renewed vigor, not to break her, but to have her. He could feel her resistance slowly failing and victory was almost in sight.

Then he went and took that stupid dare to break into a store safe.

It was so fucking ironic. Out of all the stunts he pulled to gain his father's attention, the one he didn't want his father to know about summoned the furious elder DuGray. It was actually quiet unprecedented for his father to take such a personal role in his punishment. And thus he was shipped off to military school, miles away from Chilton and her.

He spent the rest of his high school career trying to forget her. It was not easy, but he had managed it by graduation time. Of course, alcohol and countless girls also helped. Then, like all good little DuGrays, he was enrolled in Harvard. And he saw her again. Karma was a bitch.

Needless to say, all his work became undone and memories of her immediately seeped back into his mind. But it was as if he had taken a step back with her and all his work in junior year had become undone. She was hostile towards him and now there was a protective older brother added to the mix as well. To remedy this, Tristan continued his womanizing ways to get over her. She alienated him more for it. He sought refuge in more women. It was a huge positive feedback loop that everyone but Miles Hayden regarded in frustration. He was the only one smiling in glee.

So when elder brother left and sophomore year rolled around, Tristan had been frustrated to the end of his rope.

So he took a chance and outright kissed her.

It worked out quite magnificently, if he does say so himself. They were going onto two months now and he was currently driving to her grandparent's for dinner. The other shoe to his happy little relationship has yet to drop.

As he arrived at the courtyard of the Gilmore mansion, he smoothly parked his silver Porsche next to the old jeep that Rory was getting out of. Prefect timing. This boded well for the night.

"Hey Mary," he greeted cheerfully as he held out his arms. She immediately stepped into his embrace and bestowed a kiss upon his lips. But the once gentle kiss quickly turned heated as Tristan poured into it all of his pent up passion for her from the seven days they were apart.

"Mother here!" Lorelei interrupted pointedly. Immediately, the young couple broke apart. Rory blushed while Tristan smirked and extended his hand.

"I'm Tristan DuGray."

"So you're the Bible Boy that made my daughter's first year in Chilton like hell," Lorelei remarked flippantly while shaking his hand. "I'm Lorelei."

"I assure you mam that I only did it out of desperation." Tristan answered without a beat. "And Bible Boy?"

"In retaliation for you calling me Mary," Rory explained. Tristan arched a brow in amusement.

"You're corrupting my daughter!" Lorelei cried out dramatically. "Making out in a public place? What happened to my sweet little girl?"

"She grew up." Rory answered while slipping her hand into Tristan's.

"Damn the cycle of nature!" Lorelei cursed. "Well, now that I see your boy toy is every bit as good looking as I imagined, I will die content in knowing that I won't have ugly grandchildren. Therefore, I bestow my motherly blessings upon this union." She pretended to bless them like a priest.

"Is she always this dramatic?" Tristan asked Rory in amusement, greatly beginning to like Lorelei.

"Usually she's worse," Rory sighed.

"Hey blondie, don't push your luck!" Lorelei warned good-naturedly. "Remember, I could take back my blessings any time."

"Thank you for being ever so generous." Tristan quickly added.

"I will ignore the implied sarcasm in that statement and take it as a compliment," Lorelei replied. " Now, let's get this dinner over with so I can go home and eat ice cream!"

"Amen." Rory added before following her mother to the front door and dragging Tristan with her.

"Now, " Lorelei began as she pressed the doorbell. "If my parents like you, then my motherly approval doesn't go beyond the three of us. After all, I can't be known to agree with my parents."

"Dully noted mam." Tristan replied.

"And don't call me mam!" Lorelei chastened with a scowl before the door swung open.

(Break)

"Once again, thank you for the wonderful dinner. The food was delicious, Mrs. Gilmore." Tristan complimented with his usual dashing smile.

"Oh, you're welcome here anytime, Tristan." Emily Gilmore replied warmly. "I'm so glad that you and Rory are seeing each other. You two must come and visit us more often."

"Of course." Tristan promised, "and Mr. Gilmore, thank you for the advice. I'm sure it'll come in handy during my next project."

"Charmer…" Lorelei muttered with an eye roll. Rory tried to repress a giggle.

"Finance is a fine area to major in Tristan" Richard spoke while the maid handed the guests their coats. "You'll do your father proud."

"I'll try my best sir." Tristan beamed.

"Well, we'll be off now," Lorelei quickly announced before any more conversation could be struck up while quickly putting on her coat.

"Make sure to invite Tristan for dinner more often Rory," Emily demanded.

"Will do grandma."

"Well, bye mom, bye dad." Lorelei said as she opened the front door and slipped out, pulling Rory along.

"Bye grandma, grandpa!" Rory quickly called.

"Thank you once again, Mr. Gilmore, Mrs. Gilmore." Tristan added before also stepping out. "It was a pleasure."

"Good night Tristan, and please don't hesitate to come more often." Emily reminded him beside her beaming husband before the maid closed the door.

"Oh you are _so_ off my good books, blondie!" Lorelei stated as soon as the door shut. "They loved you! In fact, they're probably planning your wedding in there right now!"

"So I guess I turned on the charms too much?" Tristan asked with a smirk.

"It was so blinding, I almost had to pull out the sunglasses." Lorelei chirped.

"I'm terribly sorry," Tristan apologized in mock humility. "Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

"For them liking you or almost blinding me?" Lorelei asked.

"Both."

"What do you say Rory?" Lorelei turned to her daughter with a mischievous smirk. "How shall we punish him…?"

(Break)

As soon as the door was shut after the three guests, Emily turned to her husband.

"What a delightful boy," she praised for the umpteenth time. "We couldn't have chosen better for Rory."

"Yes, a fine young man Tristan is." Richard concurred. "It's a shame that Janlan chose to retire in Hawaii though. He hardly sees his grandson."

"Yes, well the poor boy doesn't have a mother either, so it's up to me to plan their wedding." Emily announced. "I'm thinking a spring theme?"

"A little bit early Emily, wouldn't you say?" Richard remarked.

"Well, they are such a suited pair. We have to do our best to keep them together."

(Break)

"We have to break them up!" Miles stated with absolute conviction. "He's not good enough for her!"

"Miles, calm down," Chris replied, looking up from his morning newspaper The distant ocean waves could be seen through the large window of the Hayden Mansion in Florida. "You have brought this up numerous times and each time you go back to the same point. I certainly hope you don't argue your cases like this in court."

"Well, it's true!" Miles cried.

"Although Tristan DuGray would not be my first choice for Rory either, I've learned to live with it." Chris supplied, going back to his newspaper. "He's not so bad."

"So what, you're just going to let her marry him, dad?" Miles asked in disbelief.

"It'll hardly come to that." Chris assured as he poured himself more tea. "Rory's only twenty years old. At this age, it's perfectly natural to date, but nothing serious ever comes of the relationships. They are not mature enough for a lasting commitment."

"Yes, but apparently they have liked each other since high school," Miles interjected. "That sounds to me to be a mighty long time to be just a passing infatuation the two share."

"Has Rory told you that she has liked him since high school?" Chris asked.

"No…"

"Then stop jumping to conclusions, Miles." Chris waived it off before the younger man could add anything. "Eat something. You have to meet an important client of the firm in an hour. Focus on that instead of your sister's love life."

Miles fumed. It seems that ever since he left Harvard, things he worked for there had shot straight to hell. DuGray got elected as the new CCB leader and is now dating his little sister, both things which he had worked hard to prevent. It was not the fact that someone had taken over his previous position as the unofficial King that bothered him; it was natural enough for someone to fill that vacuum of power. It was the fact that DuGray had done it that made him livid. Julian must be jumping in glee.

"I still don't think it's a good idea to let her continue seeing him," Miles objected after a long pause.

"Well, I can hardly forbid her." Chris remarked dryly. "What makes you object so much to Tristan DuGray anyway? He's from a good family. His father runs one of the most successful investment firms in the country."

"I just don't like him." Miles replied while clenching his jaw. It was evident that he didn't want to go into any details.

"Look," Chris sighed, "Who would you pick out for her?"

"I don't know…" Miles thought with a frown. "Anyone but DuGray. How about the Huntzberger heir? Logan seemed to be a worthy man and it would be a very good connection. Newspapers could really come in handy when pushing the jury to sympathize with a certain view in a case… "

"Interesting strategy…that would be a smart match…" Chris paused in his reading to contemplate. "Fine. If they are still together when she comes for summer holidays, you have my full support to break them up. Logan will be there, so play matchmaker if you want. I believe Shira will be more than happy to help. Now could we please talk about something else?"

"Sure dad," Miles grinned in satisfaction at getting his way. A devious twinkle suddenly appeared in his genetic deep blue orbs. "I heard mom is getting really serious with that dinner guy."

Christopher suddenly dropped his teacup.


	4. Chapter 3

_Chapter Three _

Rory observed the unfamiliar grounds with a sigh. It seems that she was lost.

Wondering aimlessly around the Yale campus, she came to a sudden stop in front of a coffee kiosk. A smile graced her lips and her frustration suddenly dissipated. There was nothing a cup of coffee won't fix!

Eagerly running to the booth, she tapped her foot impatiently while waiting in line. Damn morning traffic! By the time her turn had rolled around, Rory's frustration returned.

"Your largest cup please." She ordered, "no sugar, two creams." The vendor complied immediately.

"That'll be three ninety-five please." Rory pulled out her wallet to pay. And found herself short of change.

"Um, do you guys take credit cards?" She asked desperately.

"No, sorry mam," was the prompt answer. Rory gulped and began to dig for change in her coat pocket. This action took quite a long time and the grumpy morning students were getting very impatient. Death glares were shot her way by the dozen and Rory's face began to burn.

"Here you go sir." The raven-haired man behind her offered the vendor a ten-dollar bill. "And a medium vanilla late please." The vendor immediately went off to comply, relieved that the credit card girl was taken care of.

"Th-thank you." Rory stammered, still blushing furiously. "You really didn't have to. I could have paid eventually; I just forgot that I had no change. I guess I would have had to leave my watch or shoe or something with him to run to an ATM machine, but I would have eventually settled it. I just hate it when stuff like this happens, when you think you have enough change, but you actually don't. And I'm going to shut up now because you really don't care." The raven-haired man laughed heartily at her nervous rambling.

"You're welcome," he spoke after a good chuckle. "And don't worry about it." Rory smiled sheepishly.

"I'm Rory," she extended her hand.

"Marty" he replied while shaking it.

"I'm kind of lost." Rory announced after the introduction. "I'm visiting a friend here and I really don't know what's what. Do you think you could point me in the direction of Branford College?"

"Actually, I was just headed there myself." Marty revealed, "follow me."

"You're a godsend!" Rory exclaimed as she took pace beside him. She quickly finished her coffee with three gulps. Marty looked at her in amazement.

"That's quite impressive" he remarked.

"I'm kind of addicted," Rory explained. "My mother waned me with coffee. It's a natural part of my system now. I will die without the sweet elixir of life!" Marty chuckled at her dramatic response.

"So who's your friend?" Marty asked conversationally. "Maybe I know them."

"Paris Geller. She lives in room 4B."

"The neurotic girl?" Marty cried in alarm.

"Sounds about right" Roy replied with a grin.

"Wow…she's eh…intense."

"You're scared of her, aren't you?" Rory guessed. It was just like Paris to scare off all the other people. She was really more of an acquired taste. Bad in the beginning but good overtime.

"Yeah" he admitted with a rueful smile. "Sorry."

"Non taken, I was actually rather frightened of her at first too." Rory assured nonchalantly.

Before Marty could reply, a man in a red jacket purposefully bumped into him.

"Oh, sorry," Marty quickly apologized.

"No, seriously, you couldn't see me there?" The man asked in snobbish disbelief.

"Not everyone is staring at you, Colin," informed his dark haired friend with an Australian accent. The two were accompanied by an arrogant blond with an even blonder girl hanging on his arm.

"Hey, I know you" The blond declared superciliously. "No, wait-wait, don't tell me. I'm seeing a uniform of some sort."

"Maytag repairman?" The dark haired man asked sarcastically. The blond girl snickered.

"I've bartended for you," Marty answered uncomfortably. "For your parties."

"That's right, you have!" The blond exclaimed in recognition. "You're a talented man." He turned to Rory with a mischievous smirk. "He makes a kick-ass margarita." Rory frowned in response.

"Thanks" Marty chuckled awkwardly.

"It's good to see you again," the blonde continued. "What's your name?"

"Marty. Uh, this is Rory." Rory nodded stiffly in acknowledgement as the blonde flashed her another arrogant grin.

"Hi" he greeted before turning to Marty again. "So, assuming your services are still for hire this year, your financial situation hasn't changed at all?"

"Nope" Marty answered promptly.

"Good. Okay, I'll give you a call. Where are you living now?"

"Branford."

"Oh, excellent!" The blond exclaimed. "Branford. All right. Good running into you." He flashed Rory a last grin before walking off with the blond girl. The other two made slowly to follow.

"Excellent shirt" the original man wearing the red jacket remarked to Rory with a sneer. "I can see what you see in him."

"Don't be an ass, Colin," the blonde called after him.

"Me?" Colin exclaimed in mock disbelief. "Never. I'm a friend to all people, large and very, very small."

"Must be hard work, mother Theresa," Rory remarked dryly. The dark haired man looked at her, as if noticing her for the first time.

"Have we met?" He asked with furrowed brows.

"No, but rest assured, if we did, I would never admit it." Marty tried to repress a chuckle.

"Feisty," the Australian commented with a smirk. "Want to come to my dorm?"

"No, I'm not sure there'll be room for me with both your friends' egos." The blond turned around and walked back, smirk and girl on arm both still in tact.

"I sense that we have offended the lady," he announced. The girl looked at Rory curiously.

"No, I'm fine," Rory assured. "I've come to accept that I share this earth with people like you."

"People like me?" He asked with an arched brow.

"Snobs. Plastics. Brats. Whichever one you prefer." Rory answered nonchalantly. Marty began to look a little uncomfortable again. Rory gave his arm a reassuring squeeze.

"You don't like me" he stated.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Rory asked dryly. "I'm a friend to all people, deep and very, very shallow." The dark haired man snickered while the blonde girl shot Rory a dark look. Marty shifted uncomfortably.

"You don't know me, but you don't like me." The blond stated with confusion.

"I know you."

"Have we met?" The blonde asked with further puzzlement. "Wait-have I forgotten to call you?" The girl on his arm began to out right glare at her.

"No," Rory seethed. "I know your type."

"And pray tell, what is my type?" He asked in amusement.

"Well," Rory began, "judging from your clothes and that fancy watch, I'd say you're from a powerful family with more money in your wallet than you know what to do with. Judging from that conceited smirk that seems to be permanently stuck to your face and artfully tossed hair, I'd say you're a scared little boy hiding behind a seasoned charmer. And judging from the way you just treated Marty, I'd say you severely lacked affections as a child and are now an emotional cripple seeking to reassure yourself that you don't need affections anyway. Am I close?"

"Damn…" Colin whistled in appreciation. "She's good." The blond glared at his friend, but otherwise remained in shock.

"What are you, a psychologist major?" The dark haired man asked with interest.

"Nope, just using my deductive skills as a student of journalism." Rory supplied cheerfully. Marty smiled at her spunkiness.

"I'm Finn," the dark haired guy stated as he took her hand. "You are the most clever and beautiful reporter I've ever met."

"Eh…thanks." Rory replied with uncertainty before awkwardly withdrawing her hand and turning back to the blonde. "Well, now that I have knocked the arrogant smirk off your face, my work here is done. Come on Marty." Marty immediately complied and led the grinning Rory away from the baffled group.

"What a bitch!" The girl on the speechless blonde's arm was the first to break the silence.

"I call dibs!" Finn cried out of the blue. "Any girl that can leave Logan speechless deserves a fine romp with yours truly."

"I don't think you're her type." Colin remarked dryly.

"I'm everyone's type" Finn insisted as he winked at the blonde girl. She giggled.

"Who the hell does she think she is?" Logan burst, coming out of his bewilderment.

"The girl that just guessed at your life story within five minutes of meeting you." Colin supplied helpfully. "She was good. Although she might have overdone it with the scared little boy part…." He glanced back at her retreating figure, thoroughly impressed. And Colin, much like Mitchum Huntzberger, was rarely impressed by anyone.

"What are you talking about Colin?" The girl interjected. "She was completely off about Logan! She was probably just jealous that someone like her will never have a chance with him."

"She must be new," Logan stated, completely ignoring the blonde's defense of him. "I've never seen her around."

"Maybe she's one of those smart types that only come out in the mornings," Finn suggested. "And now that I've seen her type, I'm thinking I should come out early more often. I've been missing out on a great market."

"Who is she?" Logan asked again.

"Who cares?" The girl pouted.

"I don't know, why don't you ask that bartender," Colin suggested, continuing to ignore the girl. "Besides, if she's new here, you've bound to run into her again. Hit on her then, although I doubt you'll be successful. Now, let's get back to what we were discussing before. The event starts Saturday, so we all have to fly over to Mexico tomorrow."

"I've got it covered," Logan assured his friend, still highly irritated. "We'll take the jet. Anything else?"

"Yeah, I heard Tristan DuGray is going steady now." Colin supplied with a smirk.

"What? As in a steady girlfriend?" Finn asked incredulously.

"Yeah."

"Holy fuck! You serious mate?"

"That's what I heard. And since she's part of the CCB, he's bringing her with him." Colin further supplied.

"Who's the girl?" Logan asked with great interest, his irritation momentarily forgotten. Colin shrugged.

"All I know is that she's a sophomore and rumor has it he's serious about her. He's been with her for like five months now."

"Wow, that is serious…" Logan pondered with a ruthless grin spreading on his face.

"What are you thinking mate?" Finn asked with a grin of his own.

"I'm thinking about hitting DuGray where it hurts…" Logan replied mysteriously before walking away, blonde flavor of the week still in tow.

"So he's going to seduce her?" Finn confirmed with Colin. The other nodded. "Care to place a bet?"

"What, you don't think Logan can do it?" Colin asked in surprise.

"Oh, it's not a matter of _if_ he can do it, it's a matter of _when _he does it that intrigues me. After all, women have never been able to resist the charm of one Logan Huntzberger."

"True, but he's only got a week this time…" Colin stated in contemplation. "So let's 48 hours?"

"Nah," Finn shook his head. "I figure this one will put up a little fight. She is with Tristan DuGray after all. I say four days."

"You've got yourself a bet Finn."

(Break)

"That was incredible!" Marty exclaimed in delight as soon as the group was out of earshot. "Did you see their faces? You are my hero!" Rory smirked in satisfaction at the victory.

"I try my best."

"Yeah, no one ever talks to them like that!" Marty continued, "I mean they're sort of like the big men on campus, especially Logan Huntzberger. You sure gave it to him!"

"Huntzberger, as in the newspaper empire?" Rory asked with a raised eyebrow.

"The very same" Marty confirmed. "You're regretting it now, aren't you?"

"No, not at all," Rory assured with a smile. " I just expected the Huntzberger heir to be more mature than that. He is inheriting most of the newspapers in the country, after all."

"Yeah, well, those are usually the immature spoiled kind" Marty replied with a shrug. "How'd you come up with all that stuff about him anyway?"

"My boyfriend used to be like him," Rory explained. "I guess I just caught on to the similarities."

"Oh…Boyfriend…" Marty repeated in disappointment. "…. Yeah…"

"I think this is it!" Rory announced, oblivious to his sudden mood change as she pointed to Branford College. "Am I right?"

"Yeah." They entered the house in silence and walked down the dark hallway.

"Creepy…" Rory shivered. Marty couldn't help but smile.

"This is it, " he announced as he stopped in front of a door labeled 4B.

"Well, thank you _so _much Marty, you truly were a godsend!" Rory thanked with much enthusiasm.

"Your welcome. It was really nice meeting you, Rory."

"Oh you too!" To his surprise, she reached up and hugged him. He hugged her back awkwardly. "I hope I see you again next time I come to visit."

"Maybe" he replied. "Well, I'll leave you to catch up with your friend now. Bye."

"Bye!" Rory called before knocking on the door. Marty nodded and began to walk off down the hallway. Turning his head, he gave her a last look.

'_Beautiful, smart, nice and funny. Girls like that don't stay single,_' he thought with a sight. '_It's not like I had a chance anyway.' _

(Break)

"So spill," Paris demanded as soon as she pulled Rory into her dorm room. "How's your relationship with DuGray coming along?" Used to her quick demands, Rory didn't miss a beat as she took of her coat and made herself comfortable on the couch.

Sometimes Rory truly wondered how she became such good friends with Paris. They were just so different. Aside from good marks and working on their respective university papers, the two really had nothing in common.

Rory supposed that she gravitated towards Paris Gellar in her Chilton years because she was the only girl in the whole school that wasn't a superficial trophy wife in waiting. Bossy and neurotic, yes, but never brainless. Their relationship started off rocky, but eventually settled into a mutual agreement to coexist. It was not until senior year at Chilton that the two began to see each other as friends. Now they talked regularly on the phone, despite the large distance separating Harvard and Yale.

"It's going great!" Rory announced, "We have our five months anniversary next week."

"Who'd of thought that Tristan DuGray would be such good boyfriend material back in the Chilton days?" Paris commented. "So you guys going anywhere for spring break?"

"Yeah, we're heading over to Mexico with a bunch of friends" Rory replied.

"So how's Hayden taking this?"

"I think Miles has learned to accept it," Rory answered with a shrug. "He knows I'm not going to break up with Tristan no matter what he says, so his complaints have died down recently."

"Maybe he's planning something," Paris immediately supplied in her usual paranoid tone. "Maybe he's just waiting for the opportune time to strike, so he's making you think it's safe in the meantime."

"Or maybe he's just being a good older sibling and respecting my choices" Rory added.

"Yeah, sure," Paris snorted, " And I'm the tooth fairy."

"I knew it!" Rory exclaimed, "I _thought _I saw you wearing a string of teeth around your neck."

"You're a regular comedian, Gilmore" Paris remarked sarcastically. "Now come on, I'll introduce you to my boyfriend."

"So I guess you and Doyle have finally established the whole social aspect of your relationship?" Rory inquired.

"Yeah, but he still thinks I'm just using him for the sex."

"And are you?"

"Well, yeah."

(Break)

Logan was still in a state of irritation. Nobody told him off like that, especially not some new girl who had no idea about the current hierarchy on campus, or else she would never have dared. But he supposed that he could give her credits for bravery and originality. And it was uncanny how close to the truth she came. It still gave him uneasy shivers.

However, despite his irritation, he was also intrigued by her. She was different, that's for sure. And her startling blue eyes. He had the uncanny feeling that he saw those same set of orbs somewhere else before. He just couldn't remember where for the life of him.

'_Maybe I just need to get her out of my system?' _Logan thought, _'Just one night should do the trick.' _

"What are you thinking about, mate?" Finn inquired as he swindled up beside his friend.

"Probably still about that reporter girl," Colin hypothesized as he took pace on Logan's side. "She got him good! It'll take him a while to get used to the taste of defeat. It came quite sudden, after all."

"Shut up Colin," Logan muttered while shooting the other blonde a glare.

"Well, you must admit that you want to get her back for it right?" Colin countered.

"Yes…" Logan admitted. Suddenly, a huge mischievous grin appeared on Finn's face as he looked over Logan's shoulder.

"How badly?" The Australian pushed, his grin widening to an impossible degree.

"I suppose very badly, why?" Logan asked skeptically, not liking the look on his friend's face. When Finn wore that expression, things generally didn't bode well.

"Because mate, here's your chance," Finn revealed as he pointed over Logan's shoulder. Both blondes turned around to see what he meant, and sure enough, there stood the aforementioned reporter girl in line for coffee. Logan immediately began to saunter off towards her with a look of determination set upon his face. The two remaining friends eyed each other with amusement before following.

Rory, impatiently tapping her foot for the next caffeine fix, immediately saw the approaching group and groaned.

"This booth must be cursed…." She muttered under her breath. It was the same booth she was unable to pay her coffee at this morning.

"Hey Ace," greeted the leading blonde cheerfully. A little too cheerfully for Rory's taste.

"Ace?" Rory asked in confusion.

"As in ace reporter, since you seem to be so good at it," Logan explained nonchalantly. "So what brings you out on this fine evening? The healthy fresh air? The exiting nightlife? The unbarring guilt when looking at yourself in the mirror?"

"Guilt?" Rory echoed with narrowed eyes.

"Yes, guilt." Logan replied with a smirk, liking the way she so easily took the bait. Victory was almost insight! "Guilt at your hypocrisy."

"Hypocrisy?" Rory cried, narrowing her eyes further until they were two blue slits of fire.

"Yeah, you accuse me of being irresponsibly rich, unbarringly shallow and emotionally inept, but you're not exactly innocent of these crimes either." Logan began, his mirth intensifying with each statement. "You disdain me for my easy wealth and superficiality, but looking at your Gucci bag and designer clothes, not to mention that five karat gold bracelet, I'd say that you're not so averse to material pleasures either. Now, you could say that you earned the money through long hours of hard labor, but I get the distinct feeling through your lily-white hands that you didn't. You also came to these accusations without even knowing me, thus making you highly judgmental, which is also an emotional flaw I hear, and can also be called snobbery. So in light of all this, you accuse me of the same crimes that you yourself are guilty of, making you a hypocrite."

Rory regarded the blonde in bafflement as his two friends snickered in the background, patting him on the back for a job well done.

"Good one Logan." Colin congratulated, "You definitely made your point. She's speechless."

"Nice one, mate," Finn agreed.

"What, no smart comebacks, Ace?" Logan taunted, his smirk now on full blast. "I'm disappointed." Rory immediately came out of her shock and fumed at not having an argument ready.

"On don't worry love, you'll get him next time," Finn comforted, patting her on the back.

"Why you butt-faced miscreant!" Rory burst out all of a sudden, startling the group. "_I'm _not the one who acted so condescendingly to a fellow schoolmate, so don't' you accuse me of being snobby! I like nice stuff, which is fine, but I don't flaunt them in people's face! And most of all, I'm not a hypocrite! I just don't like it when people hurt my friends."

"You know, angry works for you." Logan announced out of the blue. "Look, I'm sorry if I hurt your friend's feelings. All I said was hello and that I think he made a kick ass margarita."

"It's not what you said, it's how you said it." Rory explained, still fuming.

"How'd I say it?" Logan inquired with a raised brow.

"Like Judi Dench."

"Ouch."

"Just because somebody doesn't have money or a fancy family doesn't mean they're inferior to you," Rory stated with conviction.

"I agree" Logan replied. "Now let's bury the hatchet and start anew. I'm Logan Huntzberger." He extended his hand with a friendly smile while eyeing her with interest. She regarded him in confusion.

"Um, Rory Gilmore," she finally replied skeptically, shaking his hand.

"This is Finn and Colin," Logan introduced, waiving at his two friends. Both men looked amused at the sudden turnabout. "Would you like to join us at the pub?"

"No thanks," Rory quickly refused. "I was just going to get a coffee and head home. I have to drive, so alcohol is definitely out of the question."

"They serve coffee there Ace," Logan assured with a charming smile. "And it's much better than this. Come on." Rory looked at him funnily for still being called Ace, but decided to let the matter drop.

"Um, really, I have to go, " she tried to decline politely. "It's going to get dark soon and I have a long drive ahead so…"

"Oh just one hour won't make a difference Ace, come one!" Logan persuaded. "It's the beginning of spring break, you have a whole week to do whatever you need to do at home."

"Well…" Roy replied with uncertainty. "Fine, just for an hour. But I want to make it known that I usually don't go to pubs with random guys I just met."

"Loud and clear Ace," he replied before grasping her hand and pulling her in the direction of the pub. A wide grin lit his face.

"He's going to score tonight…" Colin commented lightly as he regarded the two leaving figures.

"How cute, he's even got a nickname for her." Finn remarked, "It's quite unprecedented."

"Maybe this one will stay around for more than a week then," Colin replied as they made to follow the couple.

(Break)

It was two hours and 5 cappuccinos later and Rory has yet to leave the festive atmosphere.

"…So Finn walked across the room naked!" Colin concluded, sending Rory into uncontrolled fits of laughter for the umpteenth time that night.

"Seriously?" She chocked out in between laughs. "What did the people do?"

"I never turn down a dare!" Finn announced proudly. "And by the time they came out of shock, I was long gone."

"But someone there must've know who you are, right?" Rory asked.

"I'm afraid very few did. I seldom come out before dark." Finn replied, "The sun hurts my eyes."

"What?"

"He means that he's usually too hung over to wake up before six pm, Ace," Logan explained in good humor.

"Finn, you are truly a character," Rory declared with a big grin. Suddenly, she caught sight of the time from the clock across the room. "Shit!"

"What?" Logan asked.

"I have to go. Look at the time!" Rory cried in alarm. Finn looked.

"It's only eight, love." He stated in confusion.

"Yeah, but I promised my mom that I'd be home by now," Rory explained.

"Then call her," Logan suggested, "and stay for a while longer."

"No, I should really get going…" Rory sighed as she finished her sixth cup of cappuccino. "It was really great hanging with you guys. You're a lot more fun than I though."

"We strive to impress," Colin remarked. "So has your initial opinion of us changed?"

"It has improved somewhat…" Rory replied with a playful glint in her eyes.

"Then we should do this more often, love" Finn announced. "I assume you're coming back on Monday?"

"Oh no, I don't go to school here," Rory quickly corrected. "I just came to visit an old friend." A look of extreme disappointment immediately washed over Logan's once jovial features.

"But you go to school close to here right?" Colin immediately asked, noticing his friend's sudden mood change.

"Actually, no. I go to Harvard."

"Well, all the more reason for you to stay a little longer then," Logan reasoned, coming out of his discontent to seize the opportunity with his usual debonair charm. "Besides, it'll give me a chance to ask you out."

"Except I have a boyfriend," Rory stated with amusement. Logan waved it off as an irrelevance.

"Why don't I take you out after spring break, Ace? I could fly over to Harvard for the weekend or I could send the jet to you" he suggested. "We could do something fun." Rory regarded him with an arched brow.

"I'm guessing the status of a girl doesn't much bother you" she remarked.

"Hey, you're young. It's college, a time for fun; so don't limit yourself to just one choice. Explore. Experiment. Besides, it's not like you're married to your boyfriend yet." Logan reasoned casually. But before Rory could state her obvious objections, her cell began ringing.

"I'm just running late. I'm coming home now." Rory answered right away, thinking it was a worried Lorelei on the other end.

"_Miss me that much Mary?" Tristan asked in amusement. _

"Oh, Tris." Rory realized, "I thought you were my mom."

"_So what are you wearing?" Tristan asked coyly. _

"Clothes," Rory replied with a smirk. "And that's all you get mister. I'm at a pub right now, hanging out with some people I just met at Yale. I was actually just about to head home when you called. Mom's expecting me back hours ago."

"_Alright…" Tristan sighed. _She could tell he was pouting on the other end. _"I guess we'll have to cut this conversation short. After all, I don't want you to wonder around after dark. A lot can happen to a beautiful girl after dark, you know." _

"Charmer," Rory remarked as she rolled her eyes. "I'll call you as soon as I get home."

"_Talk to you later then." _

"Bye."

"_Bye Mary." _

"I'm guessing that's the boyfriend?" Logan asked as soon as she hung up, somewhat cold.

"Yep," Rory replied cheerfully as she slipped the phone back into her purse. "And it just proves to show that not all of us feel it's a burden to be tied down to one choice."

"I suppose we all have our own theories" Logan concluded with a stiff shrug.

"True," she agreed as she got up. A smile graced her features and her eyes sparkled with life. However, Logan pretended not to notice. "Well, it's been really fun hanging with you guys. Maybe I'll see you all again the next time I come visit."

"It's a date!" Finn promised cheerfully, not noticing the glare Colin sent him in regards to Logan.

"I'll hold you to it Finn." Rory laughed. "Bye boys. Stay out of trouble!" She called as she headed out the door with one last wave.

"She was nice" Colin commented after a long pause, looking at Logan.

"Yeah, well, I guess it's best this way." He replied with a shrug. "She wasn't the type for a one night stand anyway. Now onto important matters. About tomorrow…"

(Break)

"I can't believe you're letting her come, Tristan," Mark declared with disbelief. "You do know that Logan Huntzberger will be there right?"

"Yeah, I know…" Tristan sighed while running a hand through his messy blonde hair. It was a habit that manifested itself every time he was nervous or frustrated. "But I can hardly forbid her. She's a member of the CCB after all. I don't have a reason not to let her come."

The three friends were sitting on the living room floor of the posh apartment they shared. Being close, the other two knew of the long-standing rivalry Tristan shared with the Huntzberger heir, but they were still sketchy on how the hostilities began. No one but the two rivals knew the exact details of how it all began.

"Tell her it's for the health of your relationship," Mark suggested.

"By the way Rory," Tristan recounted dryly. "You can't come because Logan Huntzberger will probably be trying to seduce you to get back at me, but we'll celebrate our five months anniversary as soon as I get back."

"It is like that though, " Mark countered. 'And Logan Huntzberger is known to be quite good with the ladies. Almost as good as you were, Tristan. If she goes, this may very well be the end of your relationship."

"I trust Rory," Tristan stated. "She's not that kind of girl that would go for Logan Huntzberger. Remember how _long _it took _me_ to get her to agree on a date?"

"True," Ryan spoke up for the first time. "And it is only for a week. Just keep her close to you all the time and you should be fine, Tristan."

"Yeah," agreed Tristan. "And it's not like there'll be lots of time for the two societies to mingle. After all, it's a competition, not a bonding session."

"Well, if you're sure…" Mark shrugged, "But I don't have a good feeling about this."

"Are you sure it's not from the chili fries you ate last night?" Ryan asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe… But we'll keep an eye on her anyway, just to make sure."

"Guys, Rory won't go for Logan Huntzberger," Tristan stated with certainty. "He's not her type."


	5. Chapter 4

_Chapter Four_

"Now _this _is what I call living," Finn proclaimed with a wide grin while eyeing the five story building.

"I certainly hope so." Colin remarked dryly, "We paid 25 grand for it."

The entire Life and Death Brigade looked reasonably impressed at the small quaint hotel dating back to a century and Logan sighed in relief. It had taken a hell of a lot planning and bargaining to pull it off, but Logan had managed to reserve half the hotel for the 40 LDB members. The other half was occupied by the CCB. Both societies agreed that it would be best for them to stay at the same place to ensure easy updates to the scavenger hunt. The manager was more than happy to cater to 80 loaded college students that were rather liberal with their wallets.

The LDB members chatted excitedly as they got off the rented bus. It was quite an unprecedented event. If this became successful, it would serve as the model to all future inter-society functions. They were making history here and everyone was eager to be a part of it. The crowd slowly migrated towards the sliding doors and into the hotel lobby, most of them stopping to compliment Logan on the well-chosen location. The bellboys hurried after them with the carted luggage, eager for the easy tips.

It was worth the cost.

Besides, all of them could afford it. Both the LDB and CCB were especially known for its exclusive membership to children of the elite families. Highly discriminatory, but also practical. After all, events like these didn't come for free.

"Looks like you made it, mate," Finn congratulated Logan with a pat on the back.

"We're not out of the woods yet," Logan reminded. "There is still winning the event itself and getting everyone back."

"Yes, but just getting everyone here in the first place is a great feat" Finn insisted. "Besides, with the way you're handling things, this should go off without a hitch."

"Should we go meet DuGray now?" Colin asked, always to the point. "The Crimson Challenge Brigade arrived this morning."

"Haven't seen him in a while," Logan remarked, his voice gaining that hard edge whenever DuGray was mentioned. "Wonder if he got any cockier."

"Well, let's go then, mate" Finn rushed. "The faster we get the meeting over with, the faster I could get drunk and meet a lovely redhead. I knew I shouldn't have agreed to be your second in command. Colin, the uptight weirdo, likes the responsibility. I, on the other hand, absolutely shun anything that won't let me get drunk anytime I want to."

"Quit complaining Finn," Colin demanded with an eye roll. "There'll be plenty of time for partying later."

The three casually strolled past everybody in the lobby and headed for the large pool area in the back where the CCB were currently settled. Immediately, they spotted the reigning Harvard blonde occupying the central umbrella table with his entourage. It was hard to miss the arrogance and absolute power that radiated from that group. Behold, the shepherd amongst the sheep.

As the three approached the group, Tristan took off his sunglasses and smirked.

"Won't you have a seat, gentlemen?" He offered graciously, waiving to the three unoccupied chairs in front of him.

"Don't mind if we do," Logan accepted with equal polite arrogance as he made himself comfortable at the table. Finn and Colin followed.

It was now a match based purely upon who had the most testosterone between the reigning blondes. The other members of the CCB tried to inconspicuously glance at the table, recognizing the power play about to take place. Everyone was avidly tuned into the conversation, eager to later relate to the friends who had the misfortune to miss this.

"These are my seconds, Mark Lawrence and Ryan Mason" Tristan introduced the other two men with him. "I trust you know them."

"Passing acquaintance," Logan replied, nodding to each in turn. After all, in their social circle, everyone knew of each other in one way or another. "My friends, Finley Morgan and Colin McRae." Tristan acknowledged each in turn as well.

It was truly a classic scene that could be compared to a mobster movie. Two rival families meeting in an expensive hotel, gaily sipping champagne together while each plotted the other's demise. The players were all cunning and well polished. The maneuvers executed with perfect precision. It was a deadly war whose outcome cannot be predicted. The two sides were too well matched.

"Perfect weather for a scavenger hunt, wouldn't you say Huntzberger?" Tristan commented, at last breaking the tense silence.

"Quite perfect," Logan concurred with a smirk. "So what are the rules?" At his cue, Ryan handed each one of them a page of notes.

"As you know gentlemen, the objective of this game is to collect as many tokens as you can." Ryan began in a highly professional tone. "Each team has hidden 100 of their tokens throughout the city, as prearranged. The idea is to find as many of the other team's tokens as you can though the clues that will be provided. The hiding places and clues have all been worked out by each team leaders and consulted with a professional for its fair accuracy. In the end, the team with the most tokens wins. The time frame is five days. The game will start Monday morning and end on Friday afternoon. So this gives each team all tomorrow to prepare themselves and get acquainted with the city.

Now for the rules. Any outside help with the hunt will not be allowed, not including asking for directions of course. Each team will have no more than 40 members. Other than that, it's pretty much free reign."

"We accept all terms," Logan stated after a pause. "And the prize is still 50 grand right?"

"Yes," Ryan answered. "The losing team shall pay the winning team 50 000 dollars within a two months time frame, as per agreement, in addition to the bragging rights of course."

"Good," Logan nodded. "Now, let's have a little fiesta tonight and give the members a chance to mingle. It'll encourage good sportsmanship."

Not having a good reason to object, Tristan reluctantly nodded.

"Sounds good" he replied, trying to sound nonchalant. Logan smiled in satisfaction.

"Now, I hear that your girlfriend is here as well" Logan asked casually, flashing him a ruthless smirk that suggested anything but passing interest. All present knew what was going on. "Won't you introduce us, DuGray? I would really like to meet the girl who finally got you to settle down."

"She's not here" Tristan replied with gritted teeth. "Won't be arriving until tomorrow morning. She went to visit her family in Hartford and had to take a later flight."

"Oh, so it's someone I know already?" Logan inquired, mentally going through all the eligible girls in his community.

"No, she's not a regular visitor there," Tristan proclaimed immediately. "I highly doubt you know her. "

"All the more reason to introduce us then," Logan chirped, liking the dark look on Tristan's face. Seems like he really hit a nerve. Logan was ecstatic. However, before Tristan could reply, his phone rang.

"Hello?" Tristan answered with a frown. However, once hearing the answer, the tension in his features dissipated and a smile settled upon his lips.

"Hey Mary" he greeted cheerfully. "An earlier flight? Yeah, sure. I'll come pick you up tonight." He paused for a moment at her reply. "Alright, see you later then Mary."

Logan looked at Tristan's happy expression, trying to suppress his bafflement. This girl had him good. The seduction was going to be even sweeter than he thought. Oh, things were definitely looking up.

"So, I'm guessing that was her calling to tell you she'll be here tonight?" Logan supplied as soon as Tristan ended the call.

"Yes…" he replied guardedly.

"So I can meet her tonight then?" Logan asked with a hopeful expression masking his ruthless smirk.

"I'm afraid not, Huntzberger," Tristan replied with a careful grin. "She won't be getting in until well after midnight and will likely be needing her rest. But rest assured, you will meet her eventually. Maybe at the final celebration on Friday."

'_You wish!' _Logan inwardly snorted. Not if he had something to say about it. "I'm sure I'll meet her well before then. However, I regret to leave you gentlemen for now, but we have to go unpack. If you'll excuse us…" Logan stood up and nodded to the sitting group, Finn and Colin following. The three strolled out of the pool area casually, as if they owned the place. Tristan frowned, watching the retreating figures.

"Still think it's a good idea to let her come?" Mark asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Well, there's nothing I can do now" Tristan replied with irritation. "She's on her way."

"Don't worry," Ryan assured helpfully. "Just keep her away from Huntzberger. We'll both help you."

"Oh, I'm not worried about Mary," Tristan explained. "As I told you, he's not her type. I'm worried about Huntzberger and how far he'll go to get her."

"He won't rape her, if that's what you mean." Mark stated bluntly.

"Yeah, but is he above getting her drunk and taking advantage?" Tristan pondered, always ready to assume the absolute worst of his nemesis.

"We'll keep a close eye on her." Ryan promised. Mark nodded in confirmation to his friend's pledge. After all, how hard was it to watch a girl?

(Break)

"He is so _whipped_!" Finn cried as soon as they were out of earshot.

"He certainly is" Logan agreed with a smirk. "Which will make this so much sweeter. Now, do we know any girl named Mary in Hartford?"

"I don't think so…." Colin pondered, mentally going through the list like Logan did earlier.

"Don't worry mate, you'll meet her tomorrow." Finn assured. "A week's plenty of time to seduce her. You don't need previous knowledge."

"You're right Finn, I've yet to meet a girl that could resist me." Logan boasted.

"How about Steph?" Finn supplied innocently.

"I've known her since we were in diapers. She doesn't count."

"How about the reporter girl we met yesterday then?" Colin suggested slyly. "You sure seemed into her and she didn't even bat an eyelash before turning you down."

"She had a boyfriend!" Logan protested.

"Like that ever stopped you before," snorted Colin.

"Fine, besides her, I have never been turned down by a girl." Logan stated in irritation.

"Just pointing out that there are exceptions." Colin smirked.

"I doubt DuGray's girlfriend will be like Ace," Logan remarked. "He's definitely not her type. In fact, the girlfriend would definitely go for my type of guys if she's dating DuGray. This just makes it so easy!"

"Careful there Casanova, she hasn't even seen you yet" Colin reminded his ecstatic friend.

"Minor technicality," Logan replied with a confident smirk. "I'll have her at my feet and in my bed by the end of Wednesday."

(Break)

The pretty brunette ran half way across the airport terminal and launched herself into her boyfriend's arms.

"I missed you," she breathed into his chest.

"I missed you too, Mary" Tristan replied as he took a deep breath, inhaling the familiar peachy smell of her hair that drove him wild and gave him comfort at the same time. They stayed like that for a while, locked in each other's embrace, each content and not wanting the moment to end.

"Um, guys, remember us?" Mark interrupted awkwardly.

"Yes, as much as I like you both, this PDA is sickening and the sooner we get back to the hotel, the sooner I can get laid." Ryan informed them nonchalantly. "There's a leggy blonde waiting for me."

"Speaking of getting laid…" Tristan whispered into his girlfriend's ear with a suggestive leer. Rory hit him playfully on the shoulder before reluctantly untangling from him.

"Hey guys," she greeted cheerfully before giving each one a proper hug. "How's the event coming along so far?"

"As well as could be expected," Ryan replied with a shrug. "It has yet to be seen if it will become a success."

"What's with the pessimism?" Rory asked with an arched brow.

"The competition looks tough," Mark filled in. "But nothing we can't beat, Ror."

"Good to hear" Rory smiled. "Now let's get out of here. I'm beat!" The boys nodded and began heading towards the exit, Tristan immediately alleviating Rory of her baggage.

"So I reserved us an extra special suite," Tristan announced with a sly grin.

"Oh?" Rory played along with a grin of her own. "Whatever shall we do with it?"

"I can think of a number of things we could do…." He suggested, wiggling his eyebrows. "Starting tonight."

"Why Mr. DuGray," Rory pretended to be appalled. "If I didn't know better, I'd think that you were propositioning me!"

"Would I do that?" Tristan acted offended before he laughed and pulled her towards the waiting taxi.

"Our rooms are not right next to theirs, right?" Mark suddenly asked in alarm as he watched the flirting couple getting into the taxi.

"Yes…why?" Ryan looked confused. Mark sighed.

"Because as much as I like Rory, I really don't want to hear her screams in the throes of passion. I planned on getting a good night's rest."

"Well, you can forget it," Ryan informed. "Those two haven't seen each other for a week and you know they haven't gone without sex for more than three nights in a row ever since they started doing it."

"Ah, the good old days of innocence and silence…" Mark sighed wishfully.

"Besides, that leggy blonde actually exists" Ryan declared, "so my room might get loud as well. She looked like a screamer."

"Oh great…." Mark muttered darkly, now suddenly looking forward to the morning. He knew he should have picked up that redhead at the fiesta.

(Break)

It was well into lunchtime on Sunday and Finn has yet to shake off his hangover from the previous night. Used to this behavior from the Australian by now, Logan and Colin ignored their grouchy friend as the three got ready to head out for lunch and then explore the city.

"Why is it so bloody bright!" Finn whined for the hundredth time as the three stepped out of the sliding doors of the hotel. He re-adjusted his sunglasses and groaned.

"Because that's what the sun generally does," Colin explained patiently, as if to a little child. "It makes the sky bright."

"Useless thing…" Finn muttered. "So where are we going for lunch anyway?"

"Steph mentioned a nice little restaurant two blocks away from here in that direction." Colin replied while pointing to the east of the busy tourist street.

"Sounds good" Logan declared and the three began to stroll down the street, occasionally meeting fellow LDB members and CCB opponents.

"So the party was a success," Colin remarked casually. "I got a chance to meet some of the CCB. They didn't seem so bad."

"Too bad their leader is such a prick," Logan stated darkly.

"Well, that's often the fault with hierarchies," Colin replied. "That's why we choose to remain anarchist for most of the time."

"Where is that girlfriend of his anyway?" Logan inquired with irritation. He really needed to get the seduction done and over with. He only had a week after all.

"Who knows where he's hiding her" Colin shrugged. "You know he'll have her on a really tight leash since you're around, right?" Logan waived it off nonchalantly.

"Like that'll stop me."

"Where is this place already?" Finn complained again. "I'm getting tired. And I really have to pee."

"Then go in a corner!" Colin suggested in annoyance.

"I'm not a dog, you know!" Finn pouted.

"There it is!" Logan declared before the two got into another argument. It was a charming little place with white umbrella tables set outside, allowing customers a view of the busy street and tempting stores. The smell coming from the open door wafted down the street, making many mouths water.

"Come on mates!" Finn yelled as he began running towards it. Colin and Logan continued to stroll in leisure. Finn, much like a child, gets excited very easily.

"He's at it again" Colin sighed as Finn abruptly stopped in front of a slim brunette sitting alone at one of the outside tables and immediately joined her.

"She seems to be responding quite well" Logan commented with a chuckle. "They're talking quite animatedly."

"Ah, the easy local girls" Colin acknowledged. "I have a feeling his hangover just subsided. Maybe now we can get him to focus on the city."

"Highly doubt it." Logan informed, "Finn has the attention span of a goldfish." The two drew closer to the table.

Colin suddenly stopped in his tracks and his eyes bulged out of their sockets.

"Wait- is that who I think it is?" He asked in amazement. Logan shot him a confused look before bringing a hand up to shield the sun for a better look at the brunette.

And his breath caught in his throat.

"Well I'll be damned…" Logan whispered before he quickly approached the table with Colin in tow.

"So what brings you to this neck of the woods, Ace?" He greeted with a grin before settling himself comfortably opposite her. Colin took a seat beside Finn, giving the Australian an amused look at the unexpected turn of events. Finn winked in response.

"Logan, Colin!" Rory greeted cheerfully. "Finn was telling me you guys were here for a good time! When'd you guys arrive?"

"Just yesterday" Colin answered. "You?"

"Last night."

"You still haven't answered my question, Ace" Logan reminded her in a teasing manner. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here with my boyfriend and his friends." She informed, "To have a good time as well. It's spring break after all!"

"So not Cancun?" Logan inquired with a raised brow.

"We prefer to be original" she replied with a smile.

"And where is this darling boyfriend of yours, love?" Finn asked, looking around. "I have to meet the man that stole my future wife!" Rory laughed at his dramatics. Somehow, the Australian reminded her a lot of the eccentric Kirk back at Stars Hollow where she grew up.

"Yeah, where is your only choice, Ace?" Logan inquired with great interest, picturing a lanky academic with a timid smile and sweet temperament. That was close to her type, he imagined. And he had no doubt he could beat that. Maybe he'll get the one night stand he so itched for after all. Fortune was smiling down upon him once again.

"They just darted across the street to get something" Rory replied casually. "I don't know why it takes all three of them, but they're weird that way."

"Well, if you were my girl, I would never-" But before Finn could declare his undying devotion, a shout interrupted him.

"Rory!" someone called.

"And here they come" she announced with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. Logan looked up at the approaching figures.

And his body suddenly tensed, going into momentary shock.

"Hey Rory, what are you doing with them?" Ryan asked uneasily, stopping beside her. He shifted a glance at the equally hostile Mark.

"Oh hey guys. I met them at Yale when I was visiting Paris last week." Rory explained cheerfully, oblivious to the sudden change in atmosphere. "Now, let me make introductions- "

"We know them already." Mark informed her promptly, taking a protective stance beside her as well.

"Oh really?" Rory asked in surprise.

"Yes, we've had the pleasure of knowing them quite a while now." Colin replied with gritted teeth, the first one to break out of shock. A sudden truth began to dawn upon him that has yet to reach his two friends. He made the obvious connections in his mind and the conclusion made him highly uneasy.

"Oh well, great!" Rory responded, a little thrown off.

"They're the LDB" Mark informed her with a frown. She looked at him in surprise.

"Really?"

"Yeah Mare, they'd be the competition." Tristan informed as he at last approached the group and placed a possessive hand on her shoulder. He narrowed his eyes at the baffled Logan.

"So how are you, Huntzberger? Enjoying the city?" Tristan asked with his usual cocky grin back in place. Logan wanted to throw up.

"I'm fine" he replied, coming out of his shock and plastering on a fake grin of his own. "And you? I gather Rory here is the mysterious girlfriend you are so committed to?"

"Yeah, going onto to five months now" Tristan informed as he put both hands on her shoulder.

"Congratulations" Logan replied with a sneer. "That's quite a feat! Especially in college these days where relationships don't last for more than a week." Rory regarded the exchange with confusion, by now obviously catching on to the high hostility in the air. She just didn't know why. Surely a little competition won't bring about this kind of foul mood, right?

"Yes, well, once you find a girl worth keeping, you make sure you hang on to her." Tristan declared, squeezing her shoulders a little.

"Then I hope you two are happy." Logan responded before getting up. "Unfortunately, we have to go now. We have a whole city to explore before the end of the day, you know. Have a good lunch, guys. Ace, it's nice seeing you again. Maybe we can catch up later." He desperately needed to regroup his jumbled thoughts. A hasty exit was definitely in order.

"Um, sure…" Rory replied with uncertainty, noticing how the hands on her shoulder tightened their hold again.

"Bye," Logan flashed them a smirk before departing with Finn and Colin in tow.

"Later, Huntzberger." Tristan called.

"Ace?" He asked as he took a seat beside her. Mark and Ryan settled down also while exchanging worried glances.

"Yeah, long story " Rory replied with a nervous chuckle. "Those are the people I met at Yale last week."

"The ones you went to the pub with?" His stormy gray eyes narrowed. Mark gulped and Ryan creased his brows in concern.

"Yeah, the very same" Rory answered, trying to maintain her cheerful demeanor.

"You are telling me that you went to the pub with Logan Huntzberger and his entourage?" Tristan yelled with barely suppressed anger.

"Geez, settle down Tristan," Rory tried to placate. "It was only a friendly outing. Besides, you didn't seem to be so averse to it when you called."

"Yeah, but that was before I knew it was Logan Hutzberger!" Tristan furiously cried.

"What's gotten over you?" Rory began to get angry at his tone. "Logan's an okay guy who just invited me to hang out with his friends. This competition is seriously clouding your judgment and making you paranoid!"

"Wake up and smell the coffee Mary, he was hitting on you!" Tristan informed angrily.

"And I said no" Rory responded.

"What! He asked you out?" Tristan immediately demanded. Shit. This was even worse than he though.

"Yeah, at the pub."

"I though you said it was an innocent outing?" Tristan's eyes narrowed to tiny strips of fury.

"It was!" Rory cried in frustration. "And then he asked me out and I said no because I was happy with my boyfriend, you! Now quit getting so jealous and paranoid Tristan! It doesn't become you!"

"How can I not be paranoid when you're flirting with other guys!" Tristan shouted. Rory narrowed her eyes and stood up abruptly.

"You know what Tristan? I don't have to take this. I'm going back to the hotel. Come and find me when you're ready to talk like a mature adult." And with those last words, Rory marched off down the street furiously. Silence settled over the remaining group.

"Wow, you royally screwed that up, Tristan" Mark announced after a brief pause. Tristan glared at him with fury.

"Um, maybe you should go after her?" Ryan suggested carefully.

"And say what?" Tristan demanded. "So how'd your date with Huntzberger go?"

"I knew this would happen! You shouldn't have brought her!" Mark cried triumphantly.

"Shut up Mark!" Ryan demanded as he cuffed the brunette.

"Ouch!"

"Look, I think you're blowing this entire thing out of proportion" Ryan stated. "Let's examine the fact shall we? She met him at Yale and went to the pub with him and his friends. Today, they saw her again and came to say hi. Where exactly in this did she cheat on you?" Tristan thought through the facts with a frown.

"He had a nickname for her!" Tristan burst, wanting to hold onto the anger.

"Which you didn't give her a chance to explain," Ryan pointed out logically. "Look, we all know that Huntzberger was hitting on Rory, but Rory, in all her sweet innocence, is oblivious. She was just being her usual friendly self. Give her a chance to explain before you accuse her of anything."

Tristan furrowed his brows and sighed after a moment in thought.

"I suppose you're right…." He replied reluctantly, the anger seeping out.

"Good. And don't get hostile. That'll make her defensive." Ryan warned.

"I'll try. But I can't promise anything when Huntzberger is involved."

"You better get hurrying on that, buddy" Mark spoke up, still rubbing his sore spot while shooting Ryan a glare. "Right now would be the perfect time for Huntzberger to swoop in and provide her a shoulder to cry on. You're pushing her into his arms."

"Shit" Tristan swore as he quickly got up.

"Don't worry, everything will work out between you two." Ryan comforted. "You guys are good together. "

"Thanks" he replied before dashing off in search of his fuming girlfriend.

"Still think Huntzberger is not her type?" Mark asked his remaining friend with a smirk.

"Wow, you sure can offer support in times of need," Ryan remarked sarcastically.

"Well, I state the truth. Comfort is your forte." Mark replied nonchalantly.

"And the truth is…?"

"Oh come one!" Mark cried in frustration. "I can't believe you don't see it! Tristan _was _Huntzberger before he started going out with Rory. In many ways, he still _is_. Of course Huntzberger is her type! She's dating his twin!"

"Don't ever let Tristan hear you say that." Ryan warned dangerously.

"But you see it, don't you?" Ryan sighed.

"Of course I see it. They are a lot alike. It still confuses me why they aren't bosom buddies."

"I suppose it has something to do with the fact that they see themselves in each other and hate what they see." Mark analyzed thoughtfully. "You know, the whole hating who are you are yet ignoring it complex. When they see each other, the truth is brought to light and they can't take the reminder."

Ryan pondered his friend's theory. Mark was an idiot savant. Ridiculously stupid one moment, then absolutely brilliant the next.

"I suppose to an extent, you're right."

"But not completely?" Mark asked with a frown.

"No…there's something else between the two." Ryan thought out loud. "I agree they are the same in many ways…but somehow they're also very different."

"Now you're just getting confusing man!" Mark cried before the waiter came with their ordered dishes. It was all smiles and polite wishes for a good appetite for the next couple of minutes before he left.

"Well, now that Rory and Tristan aren't here, I call dibs on their portion!" Mark cried while rubbing his hands in glee.

"Settle down Mark, no one's rushing you." Ryan replied with an eye roll. Great, now he was stuck alone with the moron for the rest of the day.

(Break)

She sat at a table in the fancy hotel dining room, coffee in hand and a frown marring her face. The room was pretty much empty, most of the college students electing to go out and explore the city during the fine afternoon weather. It was private and serene, the perfect place to contemplate.

"Mind if I sit down?" Tristan asked quietly. His poise was confident, but his sky blue eyes revealed the true inner turmoil he was trying to conceal. Rory shrugged in reply and Tristan sat down, taking it as a sign of permission. Silence settled between the two.

"Rory…" Tristan began, finally breaking the silence. He only called her that when he was serious or desperate. She reckoned he was both.

"What?" She finally answered after a pause.

"Let's talk about this."

"About what?" She curtly asked. "About how you chewed my head off for saying hi to some friends you happen not to like? About how hanging out with other guys automatically translates into cheating on you?" Tristan sighed and ran a hand through his blonde hair.

"Look Mary, I'm sorry I overreacted, but you need to know why I did it." Rory regarded him quietly, waiting for an explanation. Tristan sighed once more before getting ready to pour his heart out. "First off, I didn't call this challenge because I wanted the CCB to bond more as a group. This was a personal challenge from me to Huntzberger."

"Logan Huntzberger and I have this rivalry that goes a long way back. We met in kindergarten, before he was shipped off to boarding school. It was the first day and we were assigned desk partners. We didn't hit it off."

"Why?" Rory asked, fiddling with her coffee cup. Tristan looked at her for a moment before beginning the long epic saga.

"It started with our fathers. My mom met my dad when she transferred to Harvard. They hit it off right away and started dating. She was a year below him and as soon as she graduated, my dad proposed. They were in love, which was a rarity with society couples. It was during their engagement party that Mitchum Huntzberger came back. My mom dated him back at Yale before she transferred. From what I hear, it was very casual. When my mom asked Huntzberger to commit, he refused. So she ended their relationship and transferred. Anyway, he went to my parent's engagement party and tried to break them up. Apparently, he realized he was in love with my mom and was ready to commit."

"What happened?" Rory cried in suspense when he paused. He smiled sardonically.

"Huntzberger told her he loved her and was willing to do anything to get her back. Needless to say, my dad didn't take it very well."

"And your mom?"

"She was in love with the dope at some point, but she got over him. Now she was in love with my dad and refused him right out. But Huntzberger didn't give up. For the next couple of months, he tried to woo her any way he could. Sending her gifts, lining her house with flowers, that sort of thing. So finally, my dad got tired of it and confronted him. "

"And how'd that go?" Rory was now sitting at the edge of her seat, amazed at the drama that took place decades before she was even born.

"Not very well."

"_Huntzberger, leave Sarah alone!" Michael yelled in fury at the blonde. They were alone in the garden at night. There was a cocktail party going on inside the mansion that demanded both their attention. But neither man paid it any heed. They stood alone in the dark. _

"_No" was the simple reply. _

"_Damit Huntzberger, get it through your fucking thick head! She doesn't like you anymore! She's marrying me! Not you, me! So I'd appreciate it if you stayed away from my future wife!" _

"_No" Mitchum calmly answered again. "A woman like Sarah comes along once in a lifetime. I'm going to fight for her. You're not married yet, there's still hope." _

"_You missed your chance with her!" Michael yelled, eyes blazing. " I did what you couldn't do. I committed!" _

"_And now I'm ready to." _

"_So you think she's going to take you back?" Michael laughed humorlessly at his naïve assumption. "I hate to break it to you buddy, but she's in love with me now." Mitchum smirked ruthlessly. _

"_DuGray, it's time you realized that you're a rebound gone too far. She went to you because she missed me. You were just a substitute for the real thing, me. Now that I'm back, she'll soon realize her mistake and break this whole thing off." _

"_Fuck you!" Michael yelled with absolute fury before punching a smirking Mitchum in the face. And a full fistfight soon erupted. _

"They got into a fight. My mom wasn't pleased, but she eventually forgave my dad. They got married and Huntzberger finally left them alone. The rest, as they say, is history."

"Then how did you hear about this and how come you started hating Logan the moment you met him?" Rory asked, a puzzling frown marring her features. Something didn't fit.

"Well, I was told this as a bedtime story by my nanny. My mom just died and I wanted her to tell me about my mom, anything to keep the memory alive. She worked as a maid at DuGray Mansion when this whole thing happened. Being the loyal son, I also began to hate the Huntzberger name. So when I met Logan Huntzberger, things went to hell."

Silence settled over the couple. One contemplated what had just been revealed while the other smiled in relief at finally telling someone his reason for hating Logan Huntzberger so passionately.

"Does Logan know about all this?" Rory asked, finally breaking the silence. Tristan shrugged.

"Maybe."

"Tristan, I can't pretend to know what you're going through, but surely, this rift between you two can be healed? It happened decades ago between your fathers. There nothing that says you two have to hate each other because of it."

"But I do anyways." Tristan replied. "Look Rory, we've hated each other too long to try to get along now. It's the way things will always be. I just don't want you to be caught up in it."

"Me? Caught up? How?" Rory asked in confusion.

"Every time we met, we've tried to show the other up. Now, I won't say I haven't done horrible things, but so has he. Now that he knows I'm serious about you, he'll probably try to seduce you to get back at me. And you're too important to me. I don't want you to get hurt because of something that doesn't even involve you." Tristan explained softly, taking hold of Rory's hand and squeezing it hard.

"I won't." Rory promised, squeezing back. Tristan smiled at the reassurance.

"Then promise me that you will severe all relations with Logan Huntzberger and his crew." Rory sighed at the request and withdrew her hand gently.

"Tristan, I absolutely understand why you don't like Logan, but as you said, this doesn't involve me." Rory explained carefully. "Therefore, I will remain friends with them."

"But you're my girlfriend!" Tristan cried incredulously.

"Who is capable of making her own judgments." Rory quickly countered. "Tristan, please understand. This feud between you two, it has absolutely nothing to do with me, so I shouldn't refuse his friendship because of it. Now, I promise that I will not put up with any of his advances. However, I will say hi to Finn, Colin and Logan when I see them and maybe share the occasional drink. Please understand Tristan, this friendship doesn't mean that I'm not loyal to you." Tristan remained quiet for a minute, waiting for his anger to fade a little.

"Fine," he replied with gritted teeth. He knew better than to contradict her when she made up her mind. It will only push her away. "But you know I don't trust him, so I _will_ act jealous and protective every time he comes near you."

"As long as you trust me Tristan, everything will be fine." Rory assured with a smile, understanding his inner turmoil and respecting him for his reluctant acceptance of this friendship. Before he could say anything else, she reached across and kissed him passionately.

"Does that mean I'm forgiven?" Tristan asked with a smirk as they broke apart for some much needed oxygen. Her response was to kiss him again.

(Break)

Logan looked down from his balcony at the bright city lights while lamenting at the curveball that fate had thrown him.

He should have known.

Rory Gilmore. He would never have pegged her for Tristan DuGray's type. It was fucking ironic that the only girl that intrigued him for a while now was his enemy's girlfriend. He should have expected this. It would take a girl like Rory Gilmore to keep DuGray's attention for this long. What was it now? Five months? He should have made the connection as soon as he saw her sitting at the table today.

"Still thinking about a certain brunette?" Colin inquired as he joined a quiet Logan on the balcony.

"I just can't believe how ironic this is," Logan stated with a sigh. "We just met her before we left for Mexico and now we see her again with DuGray. I mean, what are the chances of this?"

"Fate is funny this way," Colin replied. "And Rory Gilmore is definitely something. One of the sharpest girls I've ever met."

"Can we move on, or are you not done singing her praises yet?" Logan remarked dryly, highly annoyed at how much his usually snobbish friend admired his enemy's girlfriend.

"Touché. " Colin responded with an arched brow. "But the question is, are you still willing to seduce her?"

"Of course," Logan replied without a moment's doubt. "I admit that Rory definitely deserves someone better than DuGray, but that doesn't mean it's going to stop me from using her. I liker her, but not enough to overcome my hatred for her boyfriend. It's payback time."

"So you're going through with this for sure?" Colin affirmed.

"Without a doubt. DuGray's going to rue the day he messed with me." Logan wowed. Colin paused for a moment, looking at his friend.

"Finn!" Colin suddenly called, heading back from the balcony into the room. "I want to change my bet!"

"To what? Five days?" came the muffled reply from the Australian. Logan looked back at the two in confusion.

"To never."

"No way!" Finn immediately cried with indignation. "I want to make that one!"


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first annual CCB-LDB inter society event!" Tristan announced with a dazzling smile at 8:30 on the fine Monday morning. Tremendous incoherent cheering and whistling engulfed the hotel, its origin being the 80 university students currently occupying the spacious lobby. They were about to make history and no one wanted to miss a second of it. Tristan waited for the cheering to die down a little before continuing.

"I am Tristan DuGray, team leader of the Crimson Challenge Brigade. Beside me is Logan Huntzburger, team leader of the Life and Death Brigade. We will be your hosts for this scavenger hunt in Mexico City." Tristan graciously waited for another round of applause to die down.

"The objective of the hunt is simple. Find as many of the other team's hidden tokens as you can within the five-day time frame. There are as many as a hundred tokens each team has hidden throughout the city and clues have been provided for each one. The game will start 9AM today and end at 4PM Friday. Of course, the hunt will end each day promptly at 5 so that you may all enjoy your vacation in this beautiful city. There will be a closing ceremony Friday night to announce the winner and allow the two teams a last chance to mingle." Excited whispers riveted the crowd as Tristan handed Logan the microphone.

"Now, it is highly encouraged for each member to observe the rules of good sportsmanship." Logan began with equal charisma. "So seeking local help and sabotaging the other team is highly discouraged. However, there are no official rules to hinder the game. It's a free for all." Loud approving whistles punctured his speech.

"Each team will meet briefly for half an hour after this. The LDB will meet in the pool area while the CCB will remain in the lobby. Now let us exchange clues!"

A tense silence settled over the room as the two blonde leaders traded thick manila envelopes stuffed with 100 slips of paper and sample tokens to aid in the search. After, the two engaged in a crushing handshake filled with hostility. But the audience did not notice. They nodded in approval at the good sportsmanship the two leaders were trying to emphasize. It was all for optics.

"Let the hunt begin!" Tristan announced, undaunted by the ordeal he just came out of with Logan. The other blonde was equally unaffected. The crowd erupted into a final cheer, sending the very foundations of the hotel shaking. It was a good thing that the hotel staff was used to the sudden outbursts by now.

Efficiently, the LDB members began to file out with excited grins while the CCB remained seated in the lobby, just as eager to get the game underway. Mark and Ryan took their customary spots beside Tristan at the front of the room. The leading blonde quickly flashed the brunette sitting at the front table a smile before facing the audience again. Everyone waited in anticipation for Tristan's plan of attack in this game.

"Since the founding of the Crimson Challenge Brigade, it has been agreed upon between our forefathers that this society will be based upon structure. This means good leadership and responsible government." Tristan began firmly. "In light of this, it is best for this team to function as a collective unit with a guiding central group. Each member's talent will be maximized for the benefit all." Murmurs of agreement swept through the captivated crowd.

"Now, I have organized each member according to their talent." He continued. "Fifteen people, in three groups of five, will be staying behind to determine the clues. Twenty-four people, in partners, will be field agents receiving their instructions from the groups on retrieving tokens whose locations have been determined. This means that I need three pairs located on each side of the city: north, south, east and west. I will act as a liaison and facilitator between the groups and field agents. Mark and Ryan, being my seconds, will of course lead the field expedition. Are there any objections?"

The room remained silent. Each member had absolute trust in Tristan's tremendous leading abilities. After all, it was why they elected him as the new head despite the strong objections of their former powerful leader. Miles Hayden was definitely not one of Tristan's many fans. Taking the silence as permission to continue, Tristan smirked in satisfaction.

"Now I will let Ryan read out the names of the 15 people that will be staying behind. Everyone else may find themselves a partner and start heading to different corners of the city. Carpe Diem!" A spontaneous cheer erupted from the eager crowd. Tristan took the applause gracefully with a nod before motioning for Ryan to begin reading the names.

"What do you think, Mary?" He asked with a smirk as he made himself comfortable beside the brunette sitting at the front.

"Very organized" Rory replied, highly impressed. "I'm actually surprised how you managed to put such an elaborate event together without even a minor glitch. The Tristan from the Chilton days would never have been able to pull this off."

"Yes, well, the Tristan from the Chilton days never dated a girl that made him want to work harder and become a better person" Tristan commented with a smile. "Although it wasn't through his lack of trying, I might add." Rory chuckled. The relentless way he pursued her in high school had become a long humorous topic for the couple.

"Good to know that I make you a better person. Hey-did I just hear my name being called by Ryan?"

"What?" Tristan asked incredulously. "You think I'm going to let brains like yours go to waste? How dumb do you think I am?"

"Oooh, calling me smart and telling me how I changed you for the better…" Rory gushed with a mischievous grin. "My, Mr. DuGray, you really have upped the standards…"

'_And saved you from Huntzberger's clutches,' _Tristan thought to himself while smiling in reply. Really, he didn't need to over-react that much yesterday. All he had to do was keep her within his sight at all times. It would be easy with her being in here and Huntzberger being out there.

Sometimes he really marveled at his own genius.

(Break)

Logan regarded the assembled group under the bright morning sunlight in satisfaction. Everyone seemed alert and eager to get started. Things were looking good.

"Alright everyone, this is a monumental event!" Logan began. "I'm not going to waste our precious game time with a pep talk, but just remember, victory means glorious recognition in history. Future LDB members will be regarding this unprecedented event in awe and it is both our right and our duty to set an example! "

"We are anarchist by nature, and anarchist we shall remain. There will be no structural leader, only 40 people trying to have fun and win. There are exactly 100 tokens, so if we divide into groups of two, there will be 20 groups that will each have five clues to figure out. That averages out to about one clue per day, which should be an easy feat for our brilliant minds. With this system, victory should be in our hands in no time!"

The crowd erupted into wild cheers.

"Now, let us divide into groups and Colin will hand out the clues. Remember my friends, In Omnia Paratus!" The crowd cheered once more and Logan bowed theatrically.

'_Now onto more important matters' _Logan thought to himself as he watched the groups quickly being assembled. _'Where the hell would Rory Gilmore be today?' _

(Break)

Miles Hayden was always a realistic man. Sure he was arrogant, condescending, and sometimes just down right cruel, but he was never accused of being naïve. No, those rose-colored lens of childhood were crushed the moment Lorelei Victoria Gilmore walked out of his life.

Sure, like any abandoned 5 year old, he initially entertained the fairy tale of his parents getting back together so they could be one huge happy family again. But as time went by, the cold reality of life set in and the truth became evident. His parents were not getting back together. His mother and little sister were gone forever.

He supposed it was better this way. At least his situation was brutally honest. Sure there was gossip about his mother leaving, but it could be worse. If his mother had stayed, then they would have been just another society family smiling together at parties to cover up their cold indifference towards each other. His father would be working long hours while banging his secretaries, his mother would be busy heading charity boards while seeing the pool boy on the side, and his sister would be just another broken girl resigning herself to the fate of a trophy wife. And the cycle would continue. They would be one of the many. Perhaps it was for the best that things turned out this way.

When Rory came out into society at sixteen because of Chilton, it was the first time he laid eyes upon her for 15 years. A natural protective instinct manifested in him and he took his new role as the protective older brother full force. Marveling at the new feeling, he got to know her and ingrained himself in her life. If he were honest, he was much closer to her because of the estrangement. It allowed him to appreciate the new found sibling bond rather than growing up with it all his life and not giving it a moment's thought. She became a consistency in his life.

His mother, on the other hand, was a completely different story. The old saying of once bitten twice shy was certainly true with Miles in this case. Already experiencing the hard pain of her abandonment once, Miles had no desire to repeat it. So to protect himself, he trained himself to deal with her in a politely indifferent way, as if she were just a passing acquaintance of the family. After all, unlike Rory, she could never be a consistency in his life. She shunned their society, the place she grew up in. The place he adored.

So priding himself in being realistic, it was not until recently that Miles found himself questioning the reality he lived in.

Accepting that his parents will never reconcile ever since early adolescence, he had moved on with his life. After all, there were no feelings present from either side towards the marriage, only a sense of obligation. However, armed with his recent observations, Miles wasn't so sure of this anymore. The question of could his father possibly still have feelings for his mother reverberated through his mind constantly. Could Chris' string of casual relationships and phobia to remarry have anything to do with the lovely Lorelei Gilmore?

Never one to leave a question unanswered for long, Miles decided to put his theory to the test. With a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, he looked up at his father busily going over a national court case while gulping down his coffee at the breakfast table.

"So dad, about your recent appointment to the Supreme Court," Miles began casually. "I was thinking it would only be appropriate for us to throw a dinner party in your honor. Grandma Francine absolutely insisted."

"Then she will be organizing it, I presume?" Chris looked up with an arched eyebrow.

"She could," Miles continued tactfully. "But then she would go off on another rant about how you need a wife for these things because she won't be here forever and how you should have remarried a long time ago. She's been perpetually moody ever since grandpa's passing last year."

"Isn't it about time she moved away from my marital status to yours?" Chris asked in exasperation.

"She has energy for both" Miles replied nonchalantly.

"Fine, then what do you suggest we do to avoid the lecture and have the party planned?"

"Well, I hear Emily Gilmore is very good at organizing these events." Miles supplied in innocence. "She is still rather fond of you too, despite the divorce, so I'm sure she'll be happy to help. After all, she is still my grandmother."

"Somehow I feel that my mother will take that as an infringement upon her territory." Chris replied with a frown.

"Nonsense, grandma could use a rest from planning your events."

"Maybe if you got serious and finally found yourself a wife, then she wouldn't have to plan them alone." Miles frowned at the not so subtle hint.

"Or you could let Emily Gilmore plan this one." Miles promptly replied. Chris paused while regarding his son with skepticism.

"Suppose I were to entertain this idea, what then?"

"I could contact her right away." Chris replied. "After all, she would be more than happy to hear from her favorite grandson."

"Or only."

"All the necessary arrangement would be made." Miles continued, ignoring his father's comment. "And you would, of course, have to expect the Gilmores on the guest list."

"Nothing new, they've always been invited to Hayden events." Chris commented with a shrug.

"And of course, mom will be invited" Chris to tired sneak in casually. But Christopher Hayden was nothing if not astute.

"Wait, Lorelei?" He asked in bafflement, picking up on it right away. He sat up abruptly and gave the conversation his full attention. "Why? She never comes to these events. Issuing her an invitation would just be a waste of paper."

"It's only appropriate. She was your wife at some point and still is the mother of your children. She should be here to celebrate your high achievement. I'm sure Emily and Richard will agree."

"Forget it, she'll never show." Chris stated with certainty. It was clear he was in a somewhat defensive mood as well.

"But an invitation should still be issued for propriety's sake." Miles insisted. "It's her own choice if she doesn't come though."

"Fine. Whatever…" Chris muttered, going back to his reading. But Miles wasn't fooled. He knew his father was trying to sulk inconspicuously and stored the strong reaction in his mind for a later analysis. The younger man smirked in satisfaction at getting his own way again.

Hey, if things went well, maybe he'll even get his mother on board for convincing Rory to dump that loser DuGray.

(Break)

Rory could not help but feel that she was here for an ulterior reason. Sure she was smart and helped figure out quite a few of the clues, but the other 14 people currently in the room with her were much better at it. Puzzles have never been her forte as a child. She was much better at investigation and being in the thick of things, which meant fieldwork. However, she shook off the skepticism and placed her full trust in her boyfriend's judgment. Perhaps she was just the weakest of the herd but better compared to everyone else out there. Who knows? Sometimes Tristan's thought pattern worked in very strange ways.

"My beauty is simple, marveled by all. Water surrounds me, from God's graces I fall." Read the man beside her. Silence once again settled over the group as everyone began to contemplate.

"It must be an angel of some sort" A girl interpreted. "Being in God's graces and all." Everyone in the group nodded.

"Then it must be a fallen angel," another boy stated. "Because if fell from grace."

"So a fallen angel admired by all…" somebody pondered. "Could it be a statue?"

"Sure, but it could also be a painting, a tapestry, anything really."

"But let's assume it's a statue and surrounded by water, an angel statue in the middle of a fountain seems to be a very plausible place to hide something." Rory hypothesized. This is how the group worked. They built their ideas upon each other's.

"So, anyone hear anything about a fallen angel fountain in Mexico City?" The man who first spoke asked the group. Everyone thought even harder, trying to make the connection. Some poured over the city maps while others typed furiously into their laptops, hoping for the all-knowing Internet to solve their lament.

"Wait!" someone suddenly cried out in excitement while reading off his laptop screen. "There's an angel fountain in Reforma Avenue. It's inconspicuous compared to the other landmarks, but it's notable nonetheless. Since it's so old, half the wings on the stone angle have fallen off and the locals have taken to calling it the fallen angel."

"Bingo!" The first man cried with a grin. "We've got it! Now who's covering that section of the city? Call them up right away. We have another token to find!"

"I'm on it!" A member of the group quickly called.

"That was an easy one." The man remarked before reaching over for another slip of paper in the heavy manila envelope. Everyone concurred. However, before they could get into another clue, Tristan interrupted the busy atmosphere.

"All right guys, we have 8 tokens so far." Tristan informed the crowd proudly. "We're far ahead of schedule." Everyone immediately began to cheer, satisfied at the teamwork. "It's 12:20 right now. Why don't we break for lunch and reconvene here are 1:30?" Muttered agreements swept the chamber as the crowd began to quickly disperse. It was a beautiful day and everyone was more than eager to go outside and breath in some fresh air.

"Where do you want to go Mary?" Tristan asked good naturedly as he left the room together with his girlfriend.

"Why don't we try that place we were going to eat at yesterday?" Rory suggested. "I still haven't tasted their food."

"Sounds good. And I promise not to piss you off this time before the food arrives."

"You better." Rory muttered darkly. Tristan laughed before being interrupted by his ringing cell phone.

"Hello?" Tristan answered while putting an arm around Rory's shoulder, leading her through the lobby to the sliding entrance doors. "Really?" He got excited all of a sudden. "Yeah, I'll be there right away!" He promised as he hung up.

"What's up?" Rory asked, sensing his suddenly animated state.

"Mark and Ryan found something I've been looking for in a store five blocks from here." Tristan explained ambiguously. "I'm just going to run over quickly and check it out, okay Mary?"

"Want me to come with you?"

"No, you go on to that place." Tristan suggested. "We'll meet you there in 20 minutes."

"Alright…." Rory replied, a little thrown off. "I'll be waiting."

"Thanks Mare, I'll try to be there as soon as I can." Tristan promised before placing a quick peck on her cheek. "And don't wait for us to order!" He called before dashing off.

Rory regarded his running figure in confusion. What was that all about? What exactly could prompt Tristan to abandon her during lunch? She sighed before continuing on her way slowly. To be honest, she wasn't thrilled about spending half of lunch alone. Tristan better try to make it up to her for this!

As she walked down the familiar busy tourist street, she was suddenly tackled with a crushing hug.

"Hello love!" An accented greeting followed. Finn grinned wickedly at her surprised look.

"Finn!" Rory cried after a second, a smile coming over her face. She was so glad that yesterday's hostility did not drive away the crazy Australian. He was still as friendly as ever.

"Where is such a beautiful lady headed to alone?" Finn asked flirtatiously. "Where's your darling boyfriend?"

"He ran out to get something." Rory replied. "I'm heading for lunch."

"By yourself?" Finn gasped.

"Yeah, it would seem so."

"Why, that's a travesty!" Finn cried dramatically. "An insult to the natural order of things! The laws of nature clearly state that a beautiful girl should never eat alone. So, I'm doing humanity a kindness by inviting you to lunch with us."

"Um, I'm supposed to meet Tristan somewhere." Rory tried to decline politely. Despite what she told Tristan, she still felt slightly awkward hanging out with them after yesterday. Especially now that she knew they were the rival LDB and Tristan's history with Logan.

"Nonsense." Finn replied with a wave of his hand. "I'd be doing your boyfriend a favor by inviting you. A beautiful girl would be bombarded with thousands of propositions while eating by herself. I can't let you be sent out to the wolves. You're a very innocent lamb." Rory laughed at his analogy. Finn grinned in satisfaction, much like he always did when he knows he'd won a point.

"Fine, I'll come." Rory agreed in between giggles. "But only for a little while. Your friends wouldn't mind, would they?"

"Logan and Colin? Nah, they'll be happy to have you." Finn assured while grasping hold of her hand and dragging her to the direction of their lunchtime rendezvous.

(Break)

"Why aren't they here yet?" Colin asked in irritation. "I'm getting hungry!"

"You know how Finn is," Logan sighed. The two were currently sitting at a nice restaurant with a view of the beach. Distant laughter could be heard and the salty sea smell wafted through the breeze. "Always late. And Steph probably got distracted by a store on the way. They'll be here soon." Colin grunted something under his breath, no doubt a sarcastic comment about their friends' less than stellar punctuality. When Colin is hungry, he is also very moody. Much like Finn is when drunk.

"Where do you think Ace is?" Logan asked out of the blue after a moment's pause. Colin looked at him oddly.

"Probably with DuGray." Colin shrugged. "And you should probably stop calling her endearing nicknames right in front of him. I don't want to have to take you to the hospital after he beats the shit out of you."

"What makes you think _I'm _the one that'll need to go to the hospital?" Logan asked defensively. "Why not him"

"Oh, you'll both need to" Colin assured nonchalantly. "It's just that his friends will take care of him. We'll go our separate ways." But before Logan could supply a retort, a jolly greeting interrupted him.

"Don't panic, don't panic. We're here!" Finn announced dramatically as he flopped down beside Logan, pulling an exasperated Rory down beside him. "Steph took off shopping with her girlfriends." He added in an afterthought.

"Figures…" Colin muttered under his breath before speaking up curtly "About time. Now we can start." Then he promptly picked up a menu and began leafing through it, all the while keeping a curious eye on Logan.

"Hey Ace!" Logan greeted, his trademark smirk already in place. "What have you been doing this fine morning?"

"The same as you." Rory replied. "The scavenger hunt."

"And how many tokens has your team acquired?" Logan inquired pleasantly.

"That, my blonde friend, is something I'm not at liberty to reveal." Rory laughed. "But rest assured, it's at the double digits."

"Good, good." Logan nodded before sarcastically asking "And where is that admirable boyfriend of yours?"

"He had to go get something."

"It seems like this is a frequent occurrence," Logan observed with a sneer.

"What do you mean?" Rory asked in confusion.

"Now, the lunch yesterday," Logan supplied with a shrug. "You've only been here for two days and it seems like you're abandoned every lunch by your oh so loving boyfriend."

"He's not like that usually." Rory protested. "I guess he must be busy with CCB stuff here, but he's usually a lot more caring."

"If you say so…" Logan replied in a singsong tone. "But if you were my girl, I would never leave you like that." Rory regarded him with a deep frown.

"So what's good on the menu, Colin?" she asked, abruptly changing the topic. Logan frowned. Finn snickered quietly. Colin shrugged.

"Nothing special," Colin shrugged.

"Colin, Finn, why don't you guys get us some drinks?" Logan suggested not so subtly. Colin looked at him with skepticism.

"But why don't we just call the waiter over?" Finn asked innocently.

"Because he seems to be preoccupied at the moment." Logan quickly answered. "It'll be much faster if you go get it inside."

"But-" Finn began, but before he could finish, Colin stood up and dragged him up by the arm.

"Come on Finn, it'll be faster. I'm really thirsty." And the two left to go inside, leaving a smirking Logan and a frowning Rory behind.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Rory asked suddenly, breaking the tense silence.

"Um, is that a trick question?"

"Because that was about as subtle as putting an elephant in the room." Rory continued angrily, ignoring his comment. "If you wanted to talk to me alone, then pull me aside. Don't shoe away your friends. And besides, whatever you wanted to say to me in private can be said to Finn and Colin as well."

"Wow. As I said before, angry really works for you." Logan commented with a smirk.

"Well, annoying doesn't work for you!" Rory replied while crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair. "Now, what is it you wanted to say to me so badly?"

"Dump him."

"Excuse me, what?" Rory asked in confusion.

"Obviously DuGray is not treating you right." Logan explained. "So dump him."

"So I can be with you?" Rory supplied dryly.

"Hey, if you want me, who am I to deny a gorgeous woman?" Logan replied arrogantly with raised hands. Rory's sapphire blue eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. Once again, Logan was struck with the familiarity of the orbs.

"Listen well, Huntzberger, because I'm only going to tell you this once. I'm with Tristan. Now I know you and him don't' get along, and that's fine. However, I will absolutely not tolerate you hitting on me to get back at him. I want to be friends, but I will not tolerate any crap. You make one inappropriate advance on me and I will make you seriously regret it. Am I making myself clear?"

Logan gulped, deeply disturbed about how dangerous her voice just sounded. And sexy.

"Crystal." He replied lowly, penetrating her with an intense gaze. She looked back unflinchingly. "But you have to promise me something."

"What?" Rory asked skeptically.

"That you will keep your word on wanting to be friends and come hang out with us often."

"I can do that." Rory replied, a smile slowly spreading on her face.

"Good" Logan smirked, before leaning back in his chair and picking up his menu. The serious moment was broken. "Now, what do you feel like eating?"

"Um, I actually have to go." Rory responded. "I told Tristan I'd meet him somewhere in twenty minutes. I only came over to say hi and make sure that everything was fine between us."

"It's great!" Logan assured.

"Good, then I have to go," Rory beamed before getting up. "I'll probably see you all tonight at the hotel. Tell Finn and Colin that I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer. Bye Logan!"

"Later Ace" Logan replied. He watched the retreating figure of Rory Gilmore in a contemplative silence.

"She sure laid down the rules" Colin commented behind him, joining him in his observation.

"Nothing I can't handle." Logan assured.

"Um… Logan, hate to break this to you, but she just basically told you to fuck off if you're going to hit on her."

"Minor setback." Logan replied nonchalantly.

"What are you planning?" Colin asked cautiously, looking at his smirking friend.

"Colin, with all the time she promised to spend with us, do you not think that I'll get closer to her?"

"I suppose you grow on people." Colin acknowledged.

"Trust me my friend, all I need is time." Logan stated arrogantly. "I'll break them up by the end of the week."

(Break)

"Guys, we're running out of time!" Tristan yelled in frustration. "The anniversary is this Thursday!"

"Relax, we'll find something." Ryan assured exasperatingly as they walked on the busy street.

"Like how you thought we just found something now?" Tristan asked dryly.

"Hey, it's not out fault you're so picky!" Ryan protested.

"I have to be! I have to get her something special! And I can't just keep leaving her in the middle of lunch, " Tristan cried out in frustration. "What with Huntzberger's greedy hands around. Especially since she decided to be friends with that bastard! And I need to find the perfect present to win her completely. And I think I might love her. And if I don't get this pre-"

"Wait-did you just say that you love her?" Ryan interrupted in shock. Silence greeted his inquisition. "Tristan…"

"Yeah…." Tristan realized belatedly after a pause. "I guess it slipped out."

"So, you've been feeling this for a while now?" Ryan probed.

"Since a month ago." Tristan admitted. "I just haven't found the right opportunity to tell her yet."

"This is serious stuff, you do realize that Tristan?"

"Yes, I know." He sighed.

"Are you _sure_ you feel that way about her?" Ryan tried to confirm.

"Yes, I'm positive." Tristan assured. "I know what you're thinking. The player DuGray cannot possibly love a girl. He uses them and discards them. But it's just that…it's different with her. I feel things for her I've never felt for any girl before. And I want to hold onto this feeling, you know what I'm saying?"

"No, but I can pretend." Ryan replied before breaking out into a grin. "Holy shit, do you know what this means?"

"Um, what?" Tristan asked in puzzlement.

"This means a _huge_ step in your relationship!" Ryan exclaimed. "Now I know Rory will defiantly be around next year. Maybe you two will move in together next semester as well."

"Hey, actually that's a good idea!" Tristan laughed. "And yeah, I always knew somehow that if I ever dated Mary, I'll be serious."

"And yet you still did it instead of running the other way," Ryan commented teasingly.

"I tried to at first." Tristan admitted abashedly. "I ran as fast as I could, but in the end, I always ended up right in the same spot. Wanting her."

"Deep. I frankly can't understand it, but hey, whatever floats your boat." Ryan replied with a shrug.

"Guys, I think I found something!" Mark suddenly cried from a distance, running towards them excitedly. He was like child that had just found a coveted new toy.

"What?" Tristan asked in interest.

"Something that screamed Rory!" Mark informed. "I think she'll love it!"

"Really?" Tristan was getting excited now as well.

"Come on guys!" Mark called, before running back. The other two followed, Ryan albeit a little reluctantly. This is why he didn't get into relationships. It turned once proud men like Tristan into complete schoolgirls.

As the three entered a brightly lit jewelry store, a smiling clerk immediately sidled up to them.

"Can I help you sirs?" He inquired in a deeply accented English.

"Yeah, show them the necklace I just saw!" Mark demanded while jumping up and down. "It was gorgeous!"

"Oh yes sir, right this way!" The clerk replied with suppressed mirth at the prospect of selling one of the most expensive pieces in the store. "If you'd all just follow me…"

The three friends were led to a counter at the back of the room displaying the most impressive pieces in the store. The elegant gold necklace immediately attracted Tristan's attention. He held his breath in anticipation as the clerk carefully slid it out of its display case.

"Wow…" Ryan marveled, affectively voicing the exact thought going through Tristan's mind at the moment. It might as well have been made for Rory. It was perfect for her.

"This is a 14 karat gold. The stone is a 4 karat sapphire." The clerk introduced in a professional tone.

"It'll match her eyes." Tristan murmured in awe. The sparkling sapphire stone was the exact shade of her eyes.

"Beg a pardon sir?" The clerk asked in confusion.

"We'll take it" was Tristan's simple demand.

"Excellent!" The clerk cried in exhilaration, not for a moment doubting that the young man can afford the exquisite piece of jewelry. The Mexican could smell money off this guy a mile away.

"See! I am useful!" Mark was quick to point out to his friends.

"Must be a blue moon," Ryan muttered off hand.

AN: Many of you have expressed an interest in knowing what pairing this story is going to end up with. Unfortunately, I cannot divulge this information because I feel that it will ruin the effectiveness of the ending. I can, however, give you a preview of the events that will take place throughout this story in random order. I leave the quotations up to your personal interpretation, for now.

_As Logan regarded the happy couple, a bitter alien feeling began to pool at the pit of his stomach. It was not until much later that he identified it as envy. And then he promptly denied it. _

_"You let her die!" Mitchum screamed, finally letting out two decades of pent up anger. "You let the woman I love die, DuGray!" _

"_Richard is in the hospital," Emily sobbed into the phone. Rory was scared shitless. She had never heard her always-composed grandmother sound such a mess._

"_I'm transferring to Yale, Tristan" Rory informed uncomfortably._

"_Why do you hate me so much?" Tristan asked the older man bluntly. Miles regarded him in silence, blue eyes narrowing into tiny strips of fury. _

_It was useless to deny anymore. Logan Huntzberger had fallen head over heels in love with Rory Gilmore. He had fallen so deep that he could not longer even see the light at the top anymore. _

"_What happened to us, Lore?" Chris asked quietly. "We used to be so happy together." _

"_The reason you're in this love dilemma is because they are so much alike." Doyle informed. Wow. Even her oblivious editor had noticed. Things were really starting to get sad. "They look the same and they act the same. They're like the same person. Heck, if one day DuGray decided to show up at the newspaper for Huntzberger, I wouldn't even notice the difference."_

"_I think Tristan is much better suited for you than Logan is." Lorelei replied honestly. "And I think, for once, your grandparents might agree with me, their prodigal daughter from hell." _

"_Don't repeat my mistake, Logan." Mitchum warned passionately. "Do everything in your power to get her. Knock her up if you have to. Don't let DuGray win!" _

"_Dump his ass." Paris suggested bluntly. "You deserve better than Huntzberger, Rory. Give Tristan another chance." _

_Tristan looked at the beautiful diamond ring for the umpteenth time. Thoughts of a blissful future began to flash in his head. Funny, he never pictured himself as a family man, but somehow this fit._

"_I'm not giving you up!" Logan wowed to Rory. "I love you too much to do that."_

"_You set me up, Huntzberger" Tristan whispered as the realization finally hit him. "You set me up to steal my girlfriend!" _

_He could feel his heart shatter into a million pieces. Oh how the fates loved to toy with humanity._


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter Six 

"Hey Ace" Logan greeted cheerfully as he took a seat across from the tired brunette on the sunny Tuesday morning.

"Why the hell are you so chipper?" was Rory's less than friendly reply. "It's freaking 8 o'clock in the morning and I haven't had any coffee yet! It's a dangerous time to be around me."

"So I see…" Logan chuckled, "And thus I have set out to remedy this situation. Let's go!"

"Where are we going?" Rory asked in sudden confusion.

"To get you coffee!" Logan replied patiently. "I assume that you still want it, right?"

"Of course I want coffee!" Rory cried indignantly before getting up. "There isn't a time when I don't want coffee. But I have to be back here in half an hour."

"Plenty of time" Logan assured. "Now let's go!" And with those last words he pulled a tired Rory from the dinning room and out the sliding doors.

In the distance, Colin and Finn regarded the pair with keen interest.

"Still want to change your bet?" Finn asked.

"Yes," Colin replied after a pause. "I don't think he'll get her. And he's treading upon dangerous grounds."

"What do you mean?" Finn inquired with furrowed brows.

"You would agree that in terms of preference of the fairer sex, Logan and Tristan DuGray have similar tastes, right?"

"If you mean they both like easy women, then yes." Finn responded, still unclear as to where this was going. "But that's before DuGray started dating Reporter Girl."

"Exactly. Rory Gilmore caught his interest. And since DuGray and Logan have similar taste in women…"

"You think he's going to fall for her." Finn finished, realization finally hitting him.

"Exactly."

"No," Finn denied with a shake of his head. "There's not enough time for him to fall for her. This thing's only a week long."

"I hope you're right." Colin replied with a frown. "Because things could get real messy if he does. And I could definitely see why guys would fall for a girl like Rory Gilmore."

"Nah, " Finn assured with confidence. "It's only a week. And he's never going to see her again. Well, maybe occasionally when she comes to visit that friend of hers at Yale. But other than that, never."

Colin nodded, but he couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding settling in his guts.

(Break)

There was something about Rory Gilmore that just mesmerized Logan. It wasn't just her natural beauty or witty sense of humor. Nor was it her unabashed honesty and genuine kindness. There was simply some deeper element that Logan could not explain. He felt both at ease and tense with her and it completely threw him off.

"…so when a deer hit me, needless to say, I was even more late for the English exam," Rory recounted, drawing Logan out of his pondering.

"Wait-did I just hear you say you were hit by a deer?" Logan asked in bewilderment.

"Yep" Rory confirmed nonchalantly. "Made a huge dent on my mom's jeep too."

"So…how does one go about being hit by a deer?" Logan inquired teasingly. "If I sit still here, will I be hit by a bird?"

"Don't mock my traumatic experience," Rory fumed dramatically. "I was so impacted by it that now, every time I drive down that road, I go at least 10 miles under the speed limit."

"Trying to limit yourself to hitting one dear per year now, Ace?"

"Hey, the dear hit _me_!" Rory insisted with a pout.

"Whatever," Logan replied with a mischievous grin. "You killed Bambi."

"I did not!" Rory shouted. "Take that back!"

"Bambi killer."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"I am not and I'm not going to tell you anymore stories if you won't believe me." Rory stated indignantly.

"Fine…" Logan sighed with raised hands. "I believe you were hit by a dear. So tell me more about your Chilton days." Rory obliged and sat up in the plastic chair to get ready to recount another memory.

Just then her cell phone rang.

"Hello?" Rory answered. "Oh hey Tristan. I'm fine. Just hanging out with Logan at the coffee shop across the street." She paused for a moment and frowned. Logan had an inkling it was because of DuGray's less than ecstatic reaction. "Tristan, we've been through this…" Another pause. "Alright, I forgive you. I'll be right there." And with that, Rory concluded the call, her lips reverting back to smile.

"Boyfriend jealous?" Logan sneered. Distaste was running off of him in waves.

"No, it's just that…Tristan just doesn't trust you," Rory tried to explain. "He still thinks you're out to get me. I explained that you agreed to be just friends, but I guess after years of rivalry, he just doesn't believe you."

"And do you?" Logan asked softly, his face a perfect bend of neutrality after years of practice. Rory regarded him with a thoughtful expression.

"You haven't given me a reason not to" she replied in an equally soft tone before getting up. "I'll see you later, Logan." And with that, she left the pondering blonde behind.

Logan regarded her retreating figure with a thoughtful frown. He just blew a perfect opportunity to make a move.

What is it about Rory Gilmore that made him lose his track?

(Break)

As the old saying goes, time sure flies when you're having fun. Soon, Tuesday blended into Wednesday and then, before you know it, it's Thursday. Logan sat on the hotel balcony, watching the majestic sunrise paint the sky a mellow orange. Birds were just beginning to chirp in the still morning air and he could hear the distant bustle of the market in the busy Mexican district. It was a beautiful time to be alive, but Logan sighed heavily.

"You can't do it, can you?" An amused voice startled him out of his contemplation. Logan looked up at the approaching figure.

"What are you doing up, Colin?" The other man shrugged in reply.

"I saw you up and just thought I'd keep you company. But don't change the subject, why haven't you made a move, Logan?" Colin demanded.

"Couldn't find the opportune moment." He wasn't even going to pretend that he didn't know whom his friend was talking about. Rory Gilmore has been a constant in his mind for the past 72 hours.

"Or you can't do it" Colin deadpanned.

"Yes I can," Logan insisted defensively. "I'm just waiting for the right moment." He thought back to the perfect moment he was waiting for. And how he let it pass by him.

"Hey Ace, what's with the long face?" Logan greeted the frowning brunette.

"_Oh hi Logan," Rory replied, coming out of her lamentation. "Where'd you come from?" _

"_Dinner at some restaurant," Logan waived it off nonchalantly. He didn't add the quickie with the waitress he had for dessert. Somehow he doubted it would endear him to Rory. "So what's up? What are you doing here by yourself?" Rory shrugged. _

"_I like the quiet when I'm trying to think," she replied. Logan looked around the almost empty pool area. Yeah, it sure was depressingly quiet here. _

"_And what were you thinking?" He tried to probe in a teasing manner. Rory didn't reply and Logan frowned at her silence. "Ace…?" he asked with uncertainty. _

"_It's about Tristan," she replied after a pregnant pause. _

"_Oh?" Logan could feel his luck turning and tried to suppress the mirth that threatened to jump out in his tone. _

"_Yeah, I don't' know what's going on. He's so secretive. He'd receive these mysterious phone calls in the middle of dinner or something and rush out to answer them. When I ask him who they're from, he'd always shrug and change the topic. Then there's the constant whispering between him, Mark and Ryan. I feel like they're hiding something. I don't want to doubt him, but I can't help but feel left out of the loop. I don't know what to do Logan," Rory sighed. "I don't want to be one of those girlfriends that nag, but I still wish he would tell me stuff. Should I push him for it or just give him space?" _

_Logan watched the conflicting emotions play out on her face in morbid fascination. _

_How did she do it? How could she remain so honest and innocent in such a hostile world? Logan was used to the jaded women that inhabited his life and shared his bed; who used manipulation to attain their goals. Needless to say, a girl like Rory Gilmore was a complete alien specie to him. Suddenly, all thoughts of revenge flew out of his mind and his sole purpose became to alleviate that stress off of her face. He wanted to bring back that dazzling smile he was so found of. He wanted her captivating eyes him to sparkle in good humor again._

"_Give him space," Logan suggested with an understanding smile. "Don't push him. He'll come to you when he's ready." _

_Rory pondered his suggestion in silence. _

"_You're right. "She replied after a while. "Thank you Logan. You have no idea how good it is to finally seek a second opinion." _

"_No problem. It's what I'm here for, Ace." _

"_Tristan was wrong about you." She intoned softly while regarding him with intensity. "You're a good person." _

"_Um…thanks…" Logan replied, a little embarrassed at the genuine compliment. No one had ever said a positive thing about him so sincerely. She smiled before getting up. The moment was over. _

"_You're welcome. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise." Rory affirmed. "I have to go call my mom now. I'll see you tomorrow Logan. Thank you."_

"_What the hell just happened?" Logan asked himself quietly as Rory left. _

Even now, after hours of contemplation, Logan could still not understand what he was doing. Helping DuGray with relationship problems when he was supposed to be stealing his girlfriend? _What the hell was he thinking? _He winced every time that memory resurfaced. Which it had been doing a lot last night.

"Logan, you've had four days with her" Colin interrupted again. "Time is a factor here and the _right moment _isn't just going to drop into your lap."

"Not again," he muttered darkly.

"What?"

"I know…" Logan sighed. "But she won't get the hint that I'm flirting with her."

"Which is a good thing, considering how she set you straight the first time."

"Then how the hell am I suppose to get her?" Logan yelled in frustration. His loud voice echoed in the quiet morning atmosphere, but he paid it no heed.

"Maybe it's just time to admit defeat and move on," Colin suggested carefully, knowing how competitive his blonde friend is. "You know, pick your battles."

"No" Logan stated with absolute conviction. "I'll make my move today."

"Somehow I have a feeling that it's going to end in absolute disaster." Colin predicted.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Logan replied dryly.

"Hey, that's what friends are for" Colin deadpanned with a grin.

(Break)

Tristan regarded the sleeping figure in his arms akin to wonder.

How can fate favor him so much? How can fortune give him a gift like Rory Gilmore and not ask for anything in return? Was he committing hubris by admitting to his absolute contentment in life? Will some furious Olympian god descend from the clouds and take her away? Tristan tightened his hold.

"I love you," he whispered to her before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. He really did. More than life itself. Despite what love had done to his father, Tristan was willing to try his own hand at it.

Everything had gone off without a hitch. Sure there were some phone calls at the least opportune moments that made the situation look a tad suspicious to Rory, but the means justified the end. The restaurant was ready. The museums were ready. The hotel was ready. And most important of all, the present was ready. It had taken a lot of string pulling using the DuGray name, but the surprise he had so generously labored for was finally ready to be executed. Tristan was prepared to give Rory the best five months anniversary celebration she had ever seen.

(Break)

Logan spotted a grinning Rory eating her lunch at one of the tables in the hotel dinning room.

"Hey Ace, you seem chipper" Logan greeted as he gracefully swooped down on the seat across from her.

"Good morning Logan!" Rory replied cheerfully. "I've had a good morning. How about you?"

"Meh, as good as they'll get" Logan shrugged nonchalantly. "So what was so good about your morning?"

"Well, we figured out a lot of clues," Rory began.

"Good" he smiled charmingly, but inside he was starting to get nervous. A tally count yesterday only put his team at 68 tokens. They really needed to speed up the process if they wanted to win. He sincerely hoped that DuGray was having similar ill luck.

"And I finally figured out why Tristan is acting so secretive lately."

"Really?" Logan had a bad feeling about this. If it were incriminating then she wouldn't be smiling like a maniac. This couldn't bode well for his cause today.

"Yeah, it turns out he was planning a surprise for our five months anniversary!" Rory announced with excitement, her deep sapphire eyes sparkling.

"How'd you find out?" Logan asked, working to keep the disappointed frown off his face. It looks like his plans might be slightly delayed.

"Actually, I overheard him and Ryan discussing it."

"You mean eavesdropped" Logan supplied with an arched brow.

"Accidentally overheard" Rory stated with a slight blush. "And I can't believe that all this time I thought-"

"Mary!" A deep shout across the room interrupted Rory's rambling, bringing a deep smile that lit her face. Logan looked up with disdain at the rapidly approaching blonde.

"Why does he keep calling you that?" Logan asked in irritation. "Your name is Rory."

"It's a high school nickname," Rory explained offhandedly.

'How original,' Logan thought with a snort before putting on a fake grin for Tristan.

"Huntzberger," Tristan greeted curtly before going to Rory and branding her with a possessive kiss. Logan was sickened by the PDA.

"Well, got to go guys," he announced, leaving post haste before the couple could even respond. Tristan smirked in the midst of the kiss. Sometimes it just didn't hurt to show a guy he was treading upon someone else's territory. The heated kiss continued after the intended audience had long since left. However, the need for oxygen soon caused the unprepared Rory to pull away.

"What was that for?" asked a breathless Rory, still in a daze.

"What? Can't a guy kiss his girlfriend on their 5 months anniversary day?" Tristan countered innocently with a smirk.

"You were trying to make him jealous, Tristan" Rory supplied with an eye roll.

"So, what's your point?"

"Ugh, never mind!" Rory sighed, giving up. It was no use arguing with Tristan when he was like this. It just ended up aggravating Rory more.

"So I was thinking that me and you could head out of here soon." Tristan began, "say… right now?"

"But it's only one, Tristan," Rory protested. "We still have a whole afternoon to go. Don't you have to be here to lead the team?"

"Nah, they're pretty self-sufficient," Tristan waived it off. "Besides, I got Ryan to fill in for me. Mark can manage the field on his own."

"But-"

"Come on Mary, it's our anniversary!" Tristan whined.

"Alright, if you say so…" Rory sighed before an excited smile began to spread on her face. "So what are we doing?" From what she had briefly overheard earlier, it involved a beach.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out, my dear," Tristan replied with a teasing grin. "Come on, let's go."

"Should I go change?" Rory asked in panic. It would never do to under dress to such an important event.

"We'll come back later to change," Tristan assured with a wink before grasping Rory's hand and pulling her up.

(Break)

"Alright, you can take off the blindfold now" Tristan declared. Not needing another notification, Rory immediately pulled the black scarf off with a slight giggle of excitement.

Then her breath stopped in her throat.

"Welcome to the National Viceroyal Museum, Mary" Tristan announced with a dramatic flourish of his hands to the beauty around him. His clear voice echoed throughout the colossal building.

"Wow…" The only coherent thing Rory managed to whisper in the midst of her spellbinding shock.

It was amazing. Surrounding her were one of the largest and finest collections of Mexican art from 16th to 19th centuries. She had always wanted to visit this place, but she hardly thought she'd get an opportunity this week with the hectic hunt. And now, as she stood there with her mouth agape, one definite thought entered her mind.

Visiting this place in person definitely beat looking at the extraordinary Tepozoltan Jesuit Monastery from a picture.

"I take it you approve?" Tristan asked with a smirk. That look of blissful awe on her face sent a tingle of pleasure down his spine. It has yet to seize his wonderment at how much this girl affected him.

"Approve?" Rory chuckled incredulously. "Approve doesn't even begin to sum it up. I'm ecstatic. Awed. On cloud nine. Still wondering how I could be so lucky to have such a wonderful boyfriend!"

"Good, remember that the next time you feel like punching me after I did something particularly stupid." Tristan suggested with a teasing grin before grasping her hand and intertwining their fingers. "Now let us enjoy the exhibit."

"Wait-" Rory halted, finally catching on to the deathly silence. "Why is it so quiet? I thought that it would always be really busy here since it's a world-known tourist destination and all."

"They closed down for lunch" Tristan shrugged nonchalantly. Rory eyed him with skepticism.

"Tristan…"

"Fine, I had them close it down for an hour so we'd enjoy the exhibit in privacy," Tristan admitted sheepishly. "All those tourists make my head hurt." Rory gasped.

"Are you serious? What'd you have to do? Sell a kidney?"

"Or contact the director and tell him that I'm Michael DuGray's son. He owed my father a favor."

"Ah, the silver spoon strikes again." Rory chuckled.

"Why, don't you like spending time with me alone?" Tristan asked with mock indignation.

"No, just amazed at the length you'll go to please me," Rory replied before leaning in to kiss him passionately. A feeling hovered at the back of her mind that she did not care to identify.

(Break)

"You seem angry, Logan," Finn declared with a frown. "Logan, why are you angry?"

"I'm not angry" Logan replied stiffly.

"Leave him alone Finn, he's sulking." Colin informed before taking a large gulp of coffee.

"Why is he sulking?" Stephanie Lancaster asked in interest. The quartet currently sat under the cheerful afternoon sunlight. A large umbrella overhead provided the necessary shade and four cups of delicious steaming coffee provided the sustenance. Simply put, the four Yalies were enjoying a much needed coffee break after the success of finding yet another token, adding the total count to 79 since the morning.

"Because he has finally found a girl that's capable of resisting his charm" Colin supplied nonchalantly. "Give him some time to adjust."

"Oh? Why wasn't I informed of this right away?" Steph demanded with a pout. "I thought we were friends Logan! Does 21 years of friendship mean nothing to you?"

"Don't worry, it didn't happen too long ago," Colin assured with a smirk. "In fact, only last week."

"That long?" Steph gasped dramatically. "I have to meet her! Wait-she's here right? Oh my god, she's CCB, isn't she? You've fallen for the enemy! It sounds so romantic! The forbidden love angle!"

"Would you idiots please stop rambling?" Logan requested with an exasperated sigh.

"Yep, a definite case of bruised ego," Finn confirmed before patting the blonde on the back in a consolatory manner. "Don't worry champ, who needs her anyway? So what? You now have one minor glitch in your perfect record. Sure the glitch has killer legs, a to die for body, and a breathtaking smile. The point of the matter is you're Logan Huntzberger and you don't need her. Women throw themselves at you, so what's the difference if one is missing, right?"

Logan just glared at him in silence. Finn continued to smile expectantly. The confirmation never came.

"Right…" Finn replied awkwardly before taking a sip out of his cup. "Well, I tried." Silence settled over the group.

"So what's the girl's name?" Steph asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Rory Gilmore" Colin supplied easily.

"As in Gilmore Insurance?" Steph inquired.

All three boys immediately looked up, realization finally dawning upon their eyes.

"So that's where I've heard the name!" Logan cried out in triumph. "Richard and Emily Gilmore!"

"I can't believe I didn't make the connection!" Colin chastened himself. "So she _is _blue-blooded. Funny…she doesn't' seem like it."

"How come?" Steph asked.

"She seemed so…" Colin struggled to find the right word.

"Into equality" Finn supplied.

"And that's a bad thing?" Steph inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"No, just different" Finn shrugged. "I mean you don't get many socialites standing up for bartenders."

"Then are you sure she's related to _those_ Gilmores? Gilmore is not an uncommon last name." Steph pointed out.

"She has to be, or else how could she afford a school like Harvard?" Colin speculated. "It didn't seem like she was working either. And she's a CBB member. And you know how selective the brigades are. There's practically a blue-bloods only rule."

"Crap. Richard and Emily Gilmore…" Logan mused, ignoring the conversation around him.

"What?" Colin asked, turning his attention to Logan.

"I don't think they particularly like me."

"Why?"

"I _may _have taken Richard's car for a joy ride when I was fifteen. It was at one of those boring society functions and none of you were there. So I had to do something to keep myself from dying of boredom."

"Oh yeah… " Colin recalled with a grin. "That's why you were cut off for a month."

"So what does this have to do with Reporter Girl?" Finn asked in confusion.

"Reporter Girl?" Steph echoed.

"Long story" Finn waved off.

"What this means, Finn," Logan explained patiently, "Is that her family would have poisoned her mind against me. No wonder I'm not having any luck with her!"

"My friend, whatever part of her mind is prone to influence has been long since poisoned against you by DuGray" Colin informed in a matter of fact tone.

"DuGray? As in Tristan DuGray?" Steph echoed again. Her mind was going a hundred miles a minute trying to assemble the rapidly spewed forth information. She felt so out of the loop!

"Yeah, but I was hoping that once I got her away from him, she'll change her mind" Logan supplied, ignoring Steph's puzzlement. "But I can't compete with her family!"

"That sounds like quitter talk to me" Finn warned. "Besides, I'd say your chances just went up. Chicks dig the whole forbidden fruit angle."

"Speaking of Reporter Girl, where is she now?" Colin asked out of the blue.

"Probably enjoying her anniversary date with DuGray…" Logan muttered darkly.

"Oh, looks like your plans for the day just shot to hell" Colin commented. He exchanged a look with Finn. Although it went beyond the notice of Logan, who was back to sulking, it did not pass Stephanie's notice.

No, she was keenly aware that there was something going on beneath the surface. She made it a point to remember to have a chat with the two in private later on. She sensed a bet in the air.

And if there was, she wanted in.

(Break)

The afternoon went by in a flash. What began as a promising anniversary celebration turned into an amazing memory. Tristan spared no expenses in his quest to make this an unforgettable event. Nothing was left out. The evening was timed to perfection.

After the National Viceroyal Museum, Tristan brought Rory to tour a private art collection, courtesy of the same director. Rory's eyes widened in wonderment at the famous pieces of renaissance art that were not available to the public view. The afternoon was concluded with a trip to the largest bookstore in the city.

Rory felt like she died and went to heaven.

After the better half of an hour, Tristan had to drag a reluctant Rory out of the bookstore along with her newly purchased seven books.

"Come on, or we'll be late for our dinner reservations" Tristan kept pointing out to a pouting Rory. The couple hailed a taxi and went back to the hotel to change in a rush.

Now, as Tristan regarded the gorgeous brunette dressed in an elegant ocean blue gown across from him, his pulse began to beat rapidly. She was gorgeous.

'That necklace will match her perfectly' Tristan thought in satisfaction, taking note of her modest platinum necklace that will soon be overshadowed by his gold and sapphire.

"You certainly know how to impress a girl" Rory commented with a smile as she took in the surroundings of the intimate beachside five star hotel restaurant again. The Dorado Pacifico Ixtapa was nothing if not impressive with its exclusive clientele, careful service, and beautiful ocean view.

Rory felt like she was living in a fairy tale with her very own silver-eyed prince.

"No, just one girl" he replied while regarding her with a burning intensity. Gently, he pushed his dessert plate aside and produced a sleek jewelry box out of the pocket of his Armani suit. "Open it."

Rory felt her heart beat doubling as she gingerly took the box out of his offered hand and carefully pulled the lid open. Inside it nestled a magnificent golden necklace with a sparkling sapphire pendant. Rory felt her breath catch in her throat.

"It's beautiful," she finally whispered when the breath returned to her lungs.

"Let me put it on" Tristan offered as he stood up and crossed the table to her side. Gently, he slid the platinum necklace from her neck and replaced it with his much more splendid gift. Then he bent down and kissed her creamy neck, the blood in his brain rapidly pooling towards a lower region.

"I love you," he murmured clearly in between kisses. All breath escaped Rory's lungs and she felt herself suddenly freeze in response.

"Tristan, I-" Rory took a deep breath. It was not easy for her to say this, but it was as if his profession unleashed a moment of epiphany within her. She finally understood that elusive feeling she tried to bury this morning. "I love you too."

Tristan DuGray felt like he could fly. His kisses became more fervent, but he exerted all his self-control not to get out of hand. Not just yet. The place was not right.

"Want to go for a walk on the beach?" He asked huskily as he finally pulled his lips away from her creamy flesh.

"No, let's go back to the hotel" came Rory's trembling response.

"No need, I have the honeymoon suite reserved right here."

"Hoping to get lucky tonight, DuGray?" Rory teased before gasping. His hand just slid through the split of her dress and began rubbing lazy circles on the inside of her thigh.

"And will I?" he murmured seductively in his velvet smooth tone.

"Oh yes," Rory breathed out, "several times."

(Break)

Logan Huntzberger was having a particularly crappy Friday. He woke up this morning filled with bright optimism, but by the end of lunch, he could compete with the best of the pessimists.

It began this morning when he could not find the elusive Rory Gilmore. Of course, it didn't escape his notice that the mighty Tristan DuGray was also missing, thus leading him to the conclusion that it must've been hell of an anniversary celebration, with mating and all. The sour taste lingered in his mouth for the rest of the morning.

By lunch, it escalated into a team problem when the counting came up with only 86 tokens. And so the afternoon was filled with frantic LDB members scrambling to gather the last of the tokens to achieve that much sought after victory.

And currently, he sat at the concluding banquet with Finn and Colin at his side, glaring at the couple making doe eyes at each other across the pool. Oh yes, they _definitely _had a busy night.

"The winner will be announced later tonight," Ryan Mason declared. "But for now, let's enjoy the feast!" And so the crowd pool, eager to mingle. The alcohol flowed freely and soon the tense atmosphere turned jolly. However, it was obvious that one Logan Huntzberger, the usual life of the party, was not enjoying himself.

"Stop sulking" Colin demanded as he passed him a martini. "It's highly unbecoming of you."

"I'm not," Logan denied. Colin sighed in exasperation and took a seat beside his old friend, intent on cheering him up. He was in for a trying night.

(Break)

Way on the other side of the pool area, Rory was having a good time. Mark had just told one of his funnier jokes and the group was howling with laughter. Of course, if it weren't so funny, the group would still be laughing. Alcohol made everything sound funny.

Tristan was currently counting up the team tokens with Ryan, leaving her to mingle with Mark for a while. And Mark, ever the entertainer, was off telling another one of his bizarre tales. She has yet to figure out which ones were true. He had a tendency to exaggerate.

"Hi, I'm Stephanie Lancaster," A pretty blonde approached her with a huge grin. Rory was a little taken aback by the randomness of her self-introduction. It came out of the blue.

"Hi, I'm-"

"Rory Gilmore" she deadpanned.

"How'd you know?" Rory asked in amazement.

"I heard about you from Logan" she explained nonchalantly. "So how do you like Mexico?"

"Oh it's great!" Rory exclaimed with delight, forgetting the initial awkwardness. "Just yesterday, I visited the Nath-"

"Ladies!" Finn interrupted, sauntering over and placing an arm around each one. "What've you two been up to? Steph, good to see you. Rory, Logan's been looking for you." Before either could reply, Finn began to steer them towards the table with the two blonds. One was sulking the other sighing.

"Here we are!" The Australian announced dramatically before collapsing in a seat. "So what's up?"

"Rory!" Collin cried. Logan immediately looked up.

"Hey guys" she greeted cheerfully, taking a seat beside the amused Australian. Steph was soon to follow.

"Where have _you_ been all day?" Logan asked coldly.

"Oh, Tristan and I got lazy and slept in till noon" Rory laughed, choosing to ignore his chilly mood. The last thing she wanted was to antagonize him further in his state.

"How romantic," he sneered. Rory narrowed her eyes in irritation, but otherwise remained wisely silent.

"Ignore him Rory, he's being a particular ass today" Colin suggested flippantly.

"Well, off days happen to the best of us" Rory shrugged, letting go of her annoyance. "So, what has everyone been up to?"

"Well, I went to this bar this morning," Finn began, but before he could go further, Rory's glass slipped from her grasp, spilling pop all over her red t-shirt.

"Oh crap!" she shrieked, feeling the sticky liquid seeping through the fabric. Steph immediately passed her some paper napkins. "Thanks."

"No problem."

"Guys, I'm going to go quickly change" Rory announced as she continued to dab at her wet shirt. "I'll be right back."

"Alright, we'll be waiting love" Finn replied.

As the brunette got up and began walking towards the pool entrance of the hotel, Logan regarded her back thoughtfully. After a moment, he got up also.

"Where're you going?" Colin asked. Then he became aware of the direction his friend's gaze was pointing to. "Logan, how many drinks have you had?"

"Not enough" came his gruff reply as he began heading towards the path Rory took just moments ago.

"Don't' do anything stupid, Logan!" Colin called after him with a frown. The blonde waived a careless hand in the air, indicating the request was heard.

And most probably ignored.

Logan began to jog and soon caught up with the fretting brunette in the hallway separating the two wings of the hotel.

"Hey Ace! Wait up!" He yelled. Rory looked back and smiled.

"Hey Logan." Logan caught up to her and paused. Silence reigned between the two with Logan looking uncomfortable and Rory regarding him curiously.

"Um…so, how was the anniversary?" He began. Inwardly, he chastened himself. Used to being suave and charming, especially with the opposite sex, moments of apparent awkwardness were a rarity to him indeed.

"It was great!" Rory began with a smile. "I'll tell you about it later, I just have to go quickly change or it's going to stain."

As she gave him a last smile and began walking towards her suite, Logan's fury finally exploded.

"Why are you with him?" he bellowed, startling Rory.

"Pardon?" She turned around in confusion.

"Why are you with DuGray?" Logan demanded. "Can't you see he's a complete asshole?"

"What's wrong with you, Logan?" Rory cried in bewilderment, completely caught off guard.

"Dump him."

"No, and frankly, it's none of your business." Rory replied indignantly. She retraced her steps to him.

"Clearly you're too good for him!" Logan informed her as he too came closer.

"How would you know?"

"Because I'm not blind!" Logan cried in exasperation. "He's a womanizer! He was before you came and he will be after you leave. Trust me, I've known the guy for quite a long time now. He's nothing but a spoilt boy looking for his next lay. He doesn't give a shit about you. Tristan DuGray is the meanest son of bitch on this planet!"

"Quit while you're ahead Logan" Rory warned in a tight voice. "You're drunk."

"No, I'm not" Logan insisted. "I'm just being bluntly honest with you about your so called boyfriend."

"No, what you're doing is trying to break us up because of some stupid need to up him in this rivalry you two have going," Rory informed heatedly. "And as I told you before, I refuse to be used to hurt him! Whatever you have against Tristan, deal with him personally. Don't try to use me instead to prove some sick point! I remained friends with you because I thought you could move past this ridiculo-"

Before Rory could finish, Logan closed the remaining distance between them and crushed his lips to hers.

Rory was stunned beyond belief. It was only after a couple of seconds that her mind finally began functioning again. Rory immediately reacted by pushing him off, eyes going wide before narrowing into tiny slits of dangerous blue fire.

"Rory, I-"

She slapped him soundly before he could finish.

"You, Logan Huntzberger, are a complete bastard!" she whispered in fury before whirling around and marching to her suite.

Logan watched her retreating form until it disappeared around the corner.

"FUCK!" heyelled as he brought his fist to the wall, resulting in a resounding crack of mortar and a huge dent.

(Break)

"Ladies and gentlemen, now for the moment you've all been waiting for, the announcement of the winner!" Ryan declared amidst the rowdy atmosphere of clapping, whistling, and right out singing.

"First off, the Life and Death Brigade with…drum roll please." Mark dutifully complied in the front with a dramatic drum roll performed with chopsticks on the tabletop.

"94 tokens!" A roar erupted, particularly from the LDB members scattered all over the area.

"And now for the Crimson Blood Brigade…" Ryan paused, waiting for the cheering to die down. Mark complied with the customary drum roll again.

"96 tokens!"

The CBB members went wild, some going as fire as jumping onto chairs and doing a happy dance. Mark and Ryan patted each other on the back for a job well done before going to Tristan and Rory, who were busy kissing in celebration.

"Where's my kiss?" Mark pouted to Rory as the couple pulled apart. "I'm just as much part of the team as Tristan is."

"Oh Mark!" Rory laughed before placing a kiss on his cheek. She gave Ryan the same warm treatment and hugged a couple of the CBB members near them.

"Well done Tristan!" was the most common greeting as their fellow teammates came up to bask in the glory of the leadership. Tristan beamed. A clear victory over the LDB with the girl he loved by his side.

Tristan felt like he was on top of the world.

But alas, for every person that was on top, there had to be someone at the bottom to even out the karma. That person tonight was Logan Huntzberger.

Whereas Tristan was experiencing the zenith of fortune, Logan had reached a very low point. He lost, every which way that counted. The game, the girl, the rivalry. He certainly wasn't used to the taste of defeat. No, the great Logan Huntzberger was a natural born winner through and through. This new taste was definitely unfamiliar to him and one he never wished to experience in his life again.

"Cheer up mate, there's always next year," Finn tried to comfort him with a pat on the back. Both Colin and Steph quickly added their agreements. But Logan paid them no heed. His eyes were wondered to the embracing couple across the huge space.

As Logan regarded the happy couple, a bitter alien feeling began to pool at the pit of his stomach. It was not until much later that he identified it as envy.

And then he promptly denied it.


End file.
